BETHLEHEM – Calling for private businesses to operate wholesale and retail sale of wine and liquor in the Commonwealth, Senate Majority Whip Pat Browne (R-Lehigh/Monroe/Northampton) announced his support of House Bill 11, sponsored by House Majority Leader Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny), to privatize the sale operations of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB). Browne and Turzai made the announcement with several other lawmakers at a press conference.
“Given the significant movement of the Pennsylvania system of distribution of wine and spirits away from it core government mission of control, it is time for the commonwealth to divest of its operations into the private sector. It no longer serves a legitimate public function.” Senator Browne said. “Through dynamics of private marketplace which maximize system efficiency, the divestment of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board’s wine and spirits distribution operation will serve to better realize the PLCB’s current priority of consumer choice and profit maximization to the benefit of consumers and the private sector workforce.”
“It’s great to have Senator Brown on board. He is not just joining me, but the vast majority of Pennsylvanians who want the government out of the alcohol business,” Turzai said. “We have an opportunity to move the Commonwealth out of the Prohibition era, while at the same time creating thousands of private-sector job opportunities, strengthening enforcement of liquor laws and offering better convenience for consumers.”
Currently only two states, Pennsylvania and Utah, have complete control over wholesale and retail operations. Turzai’s proposal privatizes the wholesale and retail operations and shifts the PLCB’s role to focus solely on regulation and education.
Specifically, House Bill 11 proposal would:
- Eliminate the 18 percent Johnstown Flood tax and the 30 percent markup by the PLCB.
- Implement a fairer gallonage tax.
- Enhance enforcement of liquor laws by providing concurrent jurisdiction for state and local police; require retail managers and employees to attend Responsible Alcohol Management Program (RAMP) training; mandate the use of ID scanners with age verification software; require retail operations to be maintained in a separate area dedicated to the sale of liquor and all retail store employees to be at least 21 years old; and subject retail licensees to “age compliance checks” to ensure against selling to minors. Licensees who fail to adhere to these standards will face heavy penalties and possible suspension or revocation of their licenses.
- Offer current PLCB employees the following opportunities: hiring preference in other state jobs; tax credits for employers to hire them full-time; and education grants to help retrain employees to perform other jobs.