House Chairman Surprise Sours Wine in Supermarkets

Just as Tennessee supermarkets were feeling good about their chances to begin selling wine, the perennial proposal was dashed in a House committee.

The chairman of the House Local Government committee forced a vote even though the bill’s sponsor wanted to put it off, with one lawmaker missing. House Speaker Beth Harwell was standing by to cast a tie-breaker – like she did to rescue the bill in a subcommittee last week – but it never got that far. The chairman – Rep. Matthew Hill – switched his position, voting with opponents.

Harwell says she’s disappointed but contends the bill did get a fair hearing.

“They took a vote,” she says. “The vote was on the record and the public knows.”

Hill contends he’s no friend to liquor stores, who’ve been trying to protect their turf for years.

“I don’t take money from the liquor lobby,” he says. “I return their checks, so whatever.”

But Hill voted the way liquor stores would have wanted. He blames his about-face on a refusal of the committee to hear any amendments, which have been discussed in the state senate.

It’s doubtful the proposal will be revived this year, even though the senate is moving toward a compromise with liquor stores. The legislation still got further than ever before.

Jarron Springer of the Tennessee Grocers Association says supermarkets will keep pushing to sell wine, which polls show is popular across the state.