New wine sales bill proposed for New York State

Shoppers at a Whole Foods store in Dublin, Ohio, enjoy a wine tasting. Grocery stores in New York State are not allowed to sell wine, but a new bill could change that.
New York lawmakers have reintroduced a proposal to allow wine sales in grocery stores.

The new bill includes provisions that sponsors hope will appease liquor store owners' concerns. The proposal expands the list of products that can be sold by wine and liquor retailers to include mixers, snacks, ice and gift items. It would also allow liquor stores to expand their hours of operation.

Wendy Liggett, a spokesperson for Last Store on Main Street, a coalition of liquor and wine store owners, said, "This is not a compromise. This is another attempt by big box stores to kill small stores around the state."