By Phil Kabler, Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Legislation to extensively liberalize regulations for beer, wine and liquor sales passed the West Virginia House of Delegates on an 80-18 vote Wednesday.
Proponents of House Bill 2025 touted it as an economic development initiative, saying it will allow craft breweries, wineries and boutique distilleries to compete with out-of-state rivals.
Critics, however, said provisions allowing earlier morning sales of alcohol, expanding home delivery of alcohol and legalizing the sale of wine and craft cocktail growlers will fuel alcoholism in the state.
“That’s a good time to start consuming alcohol, at 6 a.m.,” Delegate Tom Fast, R-Fayette, said of a provision that would allow sales of alcohol to begin at that hour on Mondays through Saturdays, instead of 7 a.m. in existing law.
Also, counties with a Sunday option could begin serving alcohol for brunches at 6 a.m., instead of the current 10 a.m…
