In heaven, and Wawas, there is no beer

    The battle for more lenient beer laws has been brewing in Pennsylvania for many years. A new bill by suburban Republican Senator John Rafferty could make it much easier to buy a six-pack.

    The battle for more lenient beer laws has been brewing in Pennsylvania for many years. A new bill by suburban Republican Senator John Rafferty could make it much easier to buy a six-pack.

    The proposed bill would allow supermarkets, convenience stores and bars to sell everything from six packs to cases of beer. Now, customers can buy cases only from distributors. They can buy six-packs at eateries with a liquor license.

    • WHYY thanks our sponsors — become a WHYY sponsor

    David Shipula  opposes Rafferty’s bill. He’s the President of the Malt Beverage Distributors Association of Pennsylvania.

    Shipula: “These major corporations are just bearing down on us to take pretty much the one item we have and add to it to their stock of 50 or 60 thousand different items. And obviously as a small business, family owned business, it’s obviously a business threat.”

    The Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association disagrees, saying this bill would give customers options they’ve long had in many other states.

    Randy St. John of the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association strongly supports the bill, saying it would give customers more options. He termed it part of the on-going evolution of supermarkets, which didn’t used to have floral shops or pharmacies either.

    The legislation also calls for stepped up enforcement against underage drinking. No matter your age, you would have to show ID every time you bought alcohol in Pennsylvania

    WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.

    Want a digest of WHYY’s programs, events & stories? Sign up for our weekly newsletter.

    Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal