Although prohibition was repealed across country in 1933, Oklahoma apparently did not get the memo and was one of several states that never ratified the 21st Amendment to the United States Constitution. Oklahoma did not allow alcohol sales until 1955, and only then with strict limitations. Serving individual drinks in restaurants was banned until 1984.
Even today, Oklahoma is reported to have some of the strictest laws in the country concerning the sale of alcoholic beverages. The legislature is trying, with limited success, to change that. Oklahoma is one of only five states that still sells beer with only a 3.2 percent alcohol content by weight. This beer can be sold cold in grocery, liquor or convenience stores. Beer with higher alcohol content by weight is referred to as high-point beer. Wine and high-point beer can only be sold in liquor stores and both must be stored and sold at room temperature.
Download the Oklahoma Liquor Laws PDF
In April 2015, the legislature approved a bill that would allow liquor stores to sell refrigerated high point beer. The bill has not yet been made into law. Since it requires a change to the Oklahoma constitution, it will be on the ballot in 2016 for voter approval. Another bill is pending that would allow wine to be sold in grocery stores.
In addition to the restrictions on when and where you can buy beer or wine in its container, and whether or not it can be sold cold or at room temperature, there are restrictions on when these items can be sold. For example, on Sunday, bottled or canned beer and wine can never be sold anywhere by any retailer in the state. Sales are also prohibited on some holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Whether or not you can have a glass of wine or a cold beer with dinner at a restaurant on any day of the week depends on the county in which you are dining. In Oklahoma, there are still 25 counties that restrict selling any liquor by the drink. In the 52 counties that do allow liquor to be sold at bars and restaurants by the individual drink, some establishments still will not sell it to you on Sunday or certain holidays.
Oklahoma residents seem conflicted about whether or not the laws should be changed to be more in line with the rest of the country. Some resist change completely and still others push for modernization of the liquor laws.
Arguments against changing the law
Many opponents to making the liquor laws less restrictive say their primary concern is in making alcohol more available to minors. Others believe changes, like allowing wine to be sold in grocery stores, and allowing liquor stores to sell cold high-point beer will provide more selections for buyers and result in lower prices and less profit for business owners. Some convenience store owners who sell cold 3.2 beer expect their sales will go down when liquor stores can sell cold high-point beer.
Arguments for changing the law
Progressive legislators believe that modernizing the law will have economic benefits to the state. It will invite more sellers to the state, increase competition, and create jobs. In addition, it would give consumers a choice of what to buy instead of having the state government limiting their options.
Some argue that the current laws are inane and changing them just makes sense. For example, a liquor store that sells wine cannot sell a corkscrew. The seller of corkscrews is not allowed to sell wine.
The owner of Modern Spirits Liquor Store, Joseph Hull, supports the change in the law. He says that his business would substantially improve if he could sell cold high-point beer. At least one brewery will not even allow him to sell its beer at all since he is required by law to store it at room temperature, something the brewery opposes.
There are stores, like Costco, that have been hesitant to establish a business in Oklahoma due to the prohibition against such stores selling wine. The lifting of that restriction would attract more businesses to Oklahoma and provide a lift to the economy in general.
Sources
http://okc.about.com/od/foodanddrink/p/okliquorlaws.htm
http://okc.about.com/od/foodanddrink/fl/Dry-Counties-in-Oklahoma.htm
http://newsok.com/its-time-to-modernize-oklahoma-liquor-laws/article/5430247
http://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entryname=PROHIBITION
http://newsok.com/oklahoma-house-approves-sale-of-refrigerated-high-point-beer/article/5410501
http://www.fox23.com/news/news/local/state-legislature-passes-two-popular-oklahoma-liqu/nkwFh/
http://newsok.com/voters-should-have-a-say-in-oklahoma-liquor-laws-debate/article/5403229
The post Oklahoma Liquor Laws appeared first on .