Abstract:
In Indiana, the debate over legalizing carryout Sunday alcohol sales has become an annual fight in the Indiana General Assembly each spring. Indiana's "Blue Laws" were once rooted in religious objections to drinking alcohol on the Lord's Day. However, now the issue is a fight between the package liquor store lobby and the grocery and convenience store lobby. The grocery and convenience stores argue that package liquor stores have an unfair advantage in the alcohol market. They claim that the issue of Sunday alcohol is a matter of convenience for Hoosier consumers. Package liquor store owners, however, fear that allowing Sunday alcohol sales would give grocery and convenience stores an unfair advantage and would force them out of business. This paper details the origins of Sunday closing laws, the history of alcohol regulation in Indiana, and the common arguments presented for and against the legalization of Sunday alcohol sales.
