New NC bill allowing happy hour, Sunday liquor sales
THEY CANNOT THE 9 JUSTICES WILL
DECIDE
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. A NEW BILL
IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE WOULD
OVERHAUL ALCOHOL LAWS IN NORTH
CAROLINA. THEY PROPOSE IS SO
BIG CHANGES, INCLUDING ALLOWING
HAPPY HOURS AND LIQUOR SALES
ON SUNDAYS.
>> WRAL'S MONICA CASEY HAS BEEN
SPEAKING WITH BAR OWNERS ABOUT
HOW THIS COULD IMPACT THEM AND
THEIR BUSINESS. MONICA, WHAT
THEY SAID.
>> WELL, BUSINESS OWNERS AND
RESIDENTS TELL ME THEY BELIEVE
THESE CHANGES ARE A LONG TIME
COMING. THEY SAY IT COULD MAKE
NORTH CAROLINA MORE COMPETITIVE
WITH SURROUNDING STATES BUT
OTHERS HAVE RAISED CONCERNS
ABOUT THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF
ALCOHOL.
>> RUBEN DE LA NOW LIVES IN
NORTH CAROLINA BUT SPENDS TIME
IN ILLINOIS TO VISIT FAMILY.
HE SAYS THE DIFFERENT LAWS IN
DIFFERENT STATES AROUND ALCOHOL
CAN BE FRUSTRATING. PLENTY OF
TIMES HOLIDAYS. AND, YOU KNOW,
YOU CAN'T GET OUT THERE.
YOU CAN STILL GET IT. SO IT'S
IT'S A LOT DIFFERENT NOW.
HE LIKES THE IDEA OF BEING ABLE
TO BUY LIQUOR AT AN ABC STORE
ANY DAY OF THE WEEK. I THINK
THAT.
>> AND LIKE, YOU KNOW, PASSING
A BILL TO SUNDAY WOULD BE GOOD
THING IF YOU BA AT HOME.
YOU KNOW, THE BILL ALSO
PROPOSES ALLOWING HAPPY HOUR IN
NORTH CAROLINA. SAID CO-OWNS
KINGFISHER, QUEEN EAST AND
QUEEN BURGER. I THINK HAPPIER
IS JUST ANOTHER TOOL IN MY TOOL
BELT TO.
>> DRIVE TRAFFIC TO BRING IN
PEOPLE AT TIMES WHERE THEY
OTHERWISE WOULDN'T BE THERE.
HE BELIEVES HAPPY HOUR DEALS
COULD HELP BUSINESSES AND
PATRONS. I THINK IT'S SORT OF
A BOON FOR CUSTOMERS. I THINK
FOR A LONG TIME. PEOPLE IN THIS
INDUSTRY IN NORTH CAROLINA HAVE
BEEN FIGURING OUT WAYS TO OFFER
SPECIALS THAT AREN'T.
>> HAPPY HOUR. BUT I HAVE TO
OFFER IT ALL THAN A MONDAY OR
SOMETHING. SO I THINK IT'S A
STREAMLINING IT INTO THE DAY
PARTS THAT THAT ARE MOST
HELPFUL TO THE SMALL BUSINESS.
NOT EVERYONE IS IN FAVOR OF
THE CHANGES. REVEREND MARK
REACH TOOK HIS CONCERNS ABOUT
THE BILL TO LEGISLATORS CITING
THE IMPACT OF ALCOHOL ABUSE.
I MUST TELL YOU THAT I'M
TEMPTED TO DESPAIR THAT SOME
OF THE SIMPLEST, ANY
RECOGNITION.
>> BUT OUR POLLS UNIQUE MISS
AMONG COMMODITIES TO WREAK
HAVOC.
IT'S ABUSE SEEMS TO TOUCH IS SO
NEARLY EVERY HUMAN LEVEL OF
LIFE.
>> THIS BILL PROPOSES
INCREASING THE PRICES FOR THE
CHEAPEST LIQUORS AND ALLOWING
ABC STORES TO SELL GIFT CARDS.
IT WOULD ALSO LOOSEN THE
MAXIMUM NUMBER OF MIXED DRINKS
THAT CAN BE SOLD AT CONVENTIONS
AND FESTIVALS. AND THIS BUILDS
JUST IS PACKED WITH ALL KINDS
OF BIZARRE IDEAS AND PROPOSALS.
ONE PART APPARENTLY EVEN
COMPANY LAUNCH WHISKEY INTO
SPACE. WHAT'S THAT ABOUT?
>> THAT'S RIGHT. PART OF THIS
BILL IS GOING TO REWORK THE
TAXES. THOSE BOTTLES WOULD SELL
FOR $50,000. A PIECE AND
LEGISLATORS SAY THAT UNDER THE
CURRENT TAX RATE THAT WOULD
MAKE THEM TOO EXPENSIVE.
SO INSTEAD
>> THEY'RE PROPOSING TAXING
THAT WHISKEY AT A FLAT RATE,
OK? SO IF THE WHISKEY GOES TO
SPACE, IT WILL COST YOU
$50,000.