CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Legislation to allow wine to be served at Charleston's Appalachian Power Park is halfway home, after the House of Delegates approved the bill (HB4376) on a 79-19 vote Wednesday.
The bill would address quirks in state liquor laws that allow beer deemed by law to be nonintoxicating to be sold at the ballpark, but not wine.
Current law prohibits the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages in public places, which are defined to include restaurants, hotel dining rooms and lobbies, and "places of public resort or amusement," including sports stadiums.
(Many restaurants and hotels get around the prohibition by obtaining private club licenses from the Alcohol Beverage Control Administration.)
The bill would permit the sale of wine at "professional baseball stadiums," defined as facilities used primarily by Major League or minor league baseball franchises.
In addition to Charleston, the bill technically would apply to Appalachian League ballparks in Bluefield and Princeton, although neither of those locations sells beer.
Under the bill, team management would be able to obtain a special wine sales license from the ABCA at a cost of $250 a year.
The bill goes to the Senate.
Wednesday was crossover day, the 50th day of the regular session, and the last day for the House to pass House bills and send them to the Senate. Other bills passed Wednesday by the House would:
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Legislation to allow wine to be served at Charleston's Appalachian Power Park is halfway home, after the House of Delegates approved the bill (HB4376) on a 79-19 vote Wednesday.
The bill would address quirks in state liquor laws that allow beer deemed by law to be nonintoxicating to be sold at the ballpark, but not wine.
Current law prohibits the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages in public places, which are defined to include restaurants, hotel dining rooms and lobbies, and "places of public resort or amusement," including sports stadiums.
(Many restaurants and hotels get around the prohibition by obtaining private club licenses from the Alcohol Beverage Control Administration.)
The bill would permit the sale of wine at "professional baseball stadiums," defined as facilities used primarily by Major League or minor league baseball franchises.
In addition to Charleston, the bill technically would apply to Appalachian League ballparks in Bluefield and Princeton, although neither of those locations sells beer.
Under the bill, team management would be able to obtain a special wine sales license from the ABCA at a cost of $250 a year.
The bill goes to the Senate.
Wednesday was crossover day, the 50th day of the regular session, and the last day for the House to pass House bills and send them to the Senate. Other bills passed Wednesday by the House would:
* Encourage building contractors to use American-made construction materials by requiring their use in construction, repair or renovation projects of public buildings when funded in part from state funds (HB4263).
Several Republican delegates objected to the proposal, saying it could be costly to the state -- although there is an opt-out if the use of domestic materials would increase the project costs by 25 percent or more -- and would impose an unreasonable burden on small contractors.
However, the lead sponsor of the bill, Delegate Larry Barker, D-Boone, said it is time to move beyond "Buy American" rhetoric.
"It's past time that we set an example in the state, and set the way," he said. "Let's get jobs for West Virginians and jobs for Americans."
* Provide a variety of tax credits and tax breaks to high-tech or emerging technology companies that locate in the state, that make investments of at least $5 million and create at least 10 high-paying jobs with benefits (HB4547).
* Create a new felony offense for election fraud involving absentee ballots. Each violation would carry a fine of $10,000 to $20,000 and one to five years in prison. Under the bill, each fraudulent ballot would be considered a separate offense (HB4506).
Reach Phil Kabler at ph...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1220.
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