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HOLLADAY -- Your money may feature presidents, but its no good at a liquor store on President's Day. State liquor stores were closed as they are for all holidays. But state lawmakers are weighing whether to adjust the law so stores could sell alcohol on certain holidays.
Holladay lawmaker Rep. Patrice Arent, D-Holladay, thinks it's time to consider allowing some state liquor sales on more holidays.
"Which are days people normally shop, it make sense, particularly for tourists, who are surprised when they find our liquor stores aren't open. Frankly, you can get a drink those days any way."
[HB283 would allow some state liquor stores to open on some holidays like Martin Luther King Day, President's Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day. Under the legislation, liquor stores would still remain closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day and the Fourth of July. Art Brown, of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, opposes the proposal. He cites a pair of recent CDC reports that show increasing the number of days alcohol can be sold in liquor stores leads to more consumption and more motor vehicle crashes.
"They found just simply, that as you increase availability, in the same population you increase public safety issues," Brown said.
Pat Donley manages a floral shop near the Holladay liquor store. He said that opening a few more days every year wouldn't be a problem for him
"I haven't seen any problem here, observing over the years of people coming and going and any drunkenness or anything like that," Donley said. "I think it's a good way to earn more revenue."
Arent says the proposal would actually bring in additional revenue to the state. Last week, a committee of House lawmakers passed the bill. It now goes on to the full House for debate.](http://le.utah.gov/~2012/htmdoc/hbillhtm/HB0283.htm)
