Cities could allow Sunday morning sales of spirits

LB861, introduced by Bellevue Sen. Abbie Cornett, would remove the prohibition on
selling and dispensing alcoholic liquor between 6 a.m. and noon on Sundays.

Representing the city of Omaha, Jack Cheloha testified in support of the bill. The city council would like the authority to decide whether to expand the hours, he said.

Families often shop on weekends and are inconvenienced by not being able to pick up wine or beer on Sunday mornings, he said, calling the prohibition “outdated.”

Further, Cheloha said, the prohibition creates an inconvenience for those celebrating holidays that fall on Sundays.

Diane Riibe, executive director of Project Extra Mile, opposed the bill. She testified that Nebraska has one of the highest binge drinking rates in the country.

“When we increase days of sale,” she said, “we increase all of the related harms to that.”

Neutral testimony was provided by Hobert Rupe, executive director of the state Liquor Control Commission. He said local governing bodies currently can allow the sale of beer and wine before noon on Sundays, but not spirits, and the law allows local ordinances that are more restrictive.

For example, Rupe said, Lincoln has the authority to allow beer and wine sales during that time, but the city currently prohibits the sale of those items as well.