Tempers Flare As Sunday Sales Bill Gets Loose

(3/13/08) The Sunday sales bill is loose in the General Assembly and there could be a floor vote in the House as early as next week.

During a committee meeting that featured a stunning confrontation between several lawmakers, the House Regulated Industries Committee used a bill allowing beer and wine sales in Gwinnett County’s new baseball stadium as the vehicle for allowing cities and counties that already allow the sales of beer, wine or liquor to ask voters in a referendum if they wish to allow Sunday sales in grocery and package stores.

Sen. Renee Unterman, R-Buford, sponsor of the original version of SB 454, fought the amendment and charged she had been “betrayed” by industry lobbyists.

“I guess I must be the stupidest person in the room. I did not know there would be an amendment,” she said.

“I’m really surprised you didn’t know there was an amendment coming,” Rep. Allen Freeman, R-Macon, told her. “I think everybody in the Capitol knew.”

Freeman accused Unterman of being a hypocrite for supporting alcohol sales at the Gwinnett stadium, which will be used by an Atlanta Braves farm team, while opposing the idea of Sunday package sales.

“Your hypocrisy is unconscionable to me,” he declared. “You support Sunday sales only when it’s favorable to you. You want me to support you, but you don’t want to support me.”

She retorted, “Y’all are the ones who are mixing the two issues.”

Unterman also said she’s been told by the governor that he will veto the measure if it includes Sunday sales.