A lineup of classic brunch drinks is shown.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia House Roads and Transportation Committee likes brunch, but they’d like to be sure that each individual county likes brunch too.
The committee passed the “brunch bill” on Thursday to allow restaurants and bars to sell alcohol beginning at 10 a.m. on Sundays. Bars and restaurants currently cannot sell alcohol before 1 p.m. on Sundays.
But the committee amended the bill to require each individual county to hold a referendum on allowing earlier alcohol sales on Sundays. A county’s voters would have to approve the earlier sales before county bars and restaurants could start slinging bloody marys and mimosas.
The vote could be held at the same time as a previously scheduled election, so there would be no increased costs to counties to hold the vote.
Several delegates spoke in support of the amendment, saying the bill could not pass without the referendum provision…