JANUARY 9TH, 2018Â 
 JEFF GOLDBERG HENDERSON, KENTUCKY
As it stands right now, the sale of distilled spirits or wine by the drink and malt beverages are permitted on Sunday between 12:00 PM and 11:00 PM if the business has a liquor license and a capacity of more than 50 people and receive at least 50 percent of their gross annual income from the sale of food. As well, places like liquor stores and grocery stores aren’t allowed to sell packaged booze.
The proposed ordinance would completely do away with those restrictions and allow smaller places and bars and grocery stores to sell on Sunday’s.
The commissioners comments mirrored those of the audience on Tuesday: very mixed. The board ended up passing the first reading 3-2, but that wasn’t without a fight.
Commissioner Patti Bugg got the night started by reciting statistics about drunk driving in America. As well, she objected to the ordinance on a religious belief basis.
She was countered by fellow commissioner Brad Staton, who had spoken to the police in Bowling Green about what happened when the eased their Sunday sales. Staton said there wasn’t a noticeable difference in DUI arrests in the three years before and after Bowling Green started Sunday Sales.
The ordinance will need to go into a second reading before anything changes in Henderson.
