Mo. lawmakers balk at special dispensation for liquor sales when Feb. 14 falls on Sunday

Mo. plan on Valentine’s Day liquor sales fizzles

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A Missouri lawmaker wanted to make it a little easier for restaurants to serve wine and beer when Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday, but his colleagues showed little love for the idea.

Missouri businesses must pay $300 per year for a license to serve alcohol, and an extra $200 per year for permission to serve alcohol on Sunday. But the special license is not needed to serve alcohol on Sunday for certain special occasions — New Year’s Day, Super Bowl Sunday, St. Patrick’s Day, July 4, New Year’ Eve and the Sundays before Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Rep. Bill Deeken wanted to add Valentine’s Day to the list of special occasions. And he had hoped to make the change before this year’s Valentine’s Day, which fell on a Sunday. His bill would have declared it an emergency and taken effect immediately.

But the bill faced opposition. More than a week after Valentine’s Day, House leaders kicked the bill to the curb, moving it to a calendar that means it likely won’t be debated this session.

Deeken, R-Jefferson City, said Valentine’s Day is particularly profitable for restaurants. He said allowing the liquor sales without forcing businesses to get the special license could have generated several hundred thousand dollars in tax revenue for the state and local governments.

Majority Leader Steven Tilley, R-Perryville, said Tuesday that creating an exemption to the Sunday liquor license is “not fair to all the other businesses that spend the time and money to get a Sunday liquor license.”

Missouri liquor licenses are valid for one year and are issued for the state’s fiscal year that starts July 1. The licenses also can be issued midyear at a discount.

A restaurant with a license to sell alcohol every day but Sunday could have sold liquor on Feb. 14 this year by paying an extra $83.32, which would have permitted the business to sell booze every Sunday through June 30.

Lawmakers balked at putting Valentine’s Day on bar with other popular alcohol-drinking holidays, but there is plenty of time to try again. Valentine’s Day next falls on a Sunday in 2016.

Sunday liquor sales is HB1542.