AL Senate fails to override Riley’s veto of Sunday alcohol sales in Shelby Co.
This aspect of the Republican party really pisses me off.
In a 13-15 vote late Wednesday afternoon, the Alabama Senate failed to override Gov. Bob Riley’s veto of legislation that would allow for Sunday alcohol sales in some Shelby County restaurants.
Eighteen votes were needed for an override.
Unless the State Senate revisits the issue this legislative session, Shelby County restaurants that currently sell alcohol on Sundays will no longer be able to do so after Sept. 30, when their club license expires.
Stop imposing your morality on us! The national GOPers are riding around on a listening tour right now wondering how to fix the ailing party. Listen here: STOP DOING STUPID THINGS LIKE THIS!
There is a chance the bill may be passed this session…
After vetoing the legislation, the Senate voted 17 to 9 to carry it over, which means it could be brought up again before the end of the legislative session this week.
Here’s how the 13-15 vote broke down:
YES
- Republicans (2): Dixon, French
- Democrats (11): Coleman, Denton, Figures, Means, Mitchell, Mitchem, Penn, Ross, Sanders, Singleton, Smitherman
NO
- Republicans (10): Beason, Bishop, Brooks, Erwin, Glover, Holley, Orr, Pittman, Smith, Waggoner
- Democrats (5): Barron, Butler, Little (Z), Poole, Preuitt
PRESENT
- Republicans (1): Marsh
- Democrats (3): Bedford, Benefield, Little (T)
Certainly a minority of Democrats, a couple of which are practically Republicans, opposed the measure as well. But it was a Republican governor and 10 of 12 Republicans who cast a real vote that killed this. Dumb. Just dumb.
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This is good news. Way to go ALGOP! Whoever feels the uncontrollable desire for drinking alcohol on a Sunday needs to spend some time with Zeb Little and ask him how all the alcohol in his life is working out for him. I’m not against people drinking, just some common sense limitations, especially when involving Sunday. Sheesh Brian…
Brian,
I know you like beer and all, but maybe you should have actually read the entire article you linked to, including this statement from the governor’s spokesman:
Todd Stacy, a spokesman for the governor, said Riley wants to make certain constituents know his veto was not because of Sunday sales of alcohol.
“The governor was very clear with the sponsor that combining the two issues [Chilton County’s small town referendums and Shelby County’s continued Sunday alcohol sales at restaurants] in one bill would force him to veto the legislation. The continued sale of alcohol on Sundays in Shelby County is not the issue. In fact, the administration will work with the affected establishments to help them come into compliance and make sure they are not unfairly impacted by the previous administration’s interpretation of the law. The governor just this week signed into law a bill that calls for a referendum in Houston County authorizing the sale of alcohol on Sunday. So, obviously, Sunday sales is not the problem. The problem is this bill had clear flaws, both constitutionally and functionally. That’s why the governor vetoed it.”
Some legislators don’t see a constitutional problem, but if Riley does, he has an obligation to veto the bill. The fact that he signed the bill authorizing the Sunday alcohol sales in Houston County would seem to shoot down your “imposing morality” argument.
There is that icky requirement in the state constitution which states a bill can only be on one subject. I’m sure everyone would agree an bill requiring a statue to motherhood should also include language authorizing the TVA caucus to take over county governments.
Walt, I’m familiar with that requirement and I assumed that is what Riley was basing his veto on. Let’s just say I disagree with his interpretation of that requirement on this bill. The bill is about one subject: alcohol sales.
Brian,
So you disagree with Riley’s interpretation. Fair enough. But to accuse Riley of trying to “impose morality” is more than a bit thin… and unfair. It sounds to me that if the two measures had been split up into separate bills, Riley would have signed both.
Fair point about my characterization of Riley. After listening to Senate audio the last couple of days where Sen. Erwin said that even a single drink of alcohol will make you an addict and result in you flipping cars over with out of control hordes and Sen. Bishop talking about drinking so much Boone’s Farm as a youth that he couldn’t chew Juicy Fruit for a long period of time (I’m not making that up) I may be a bit wound up on the subject. However I do stand behind my general condemnation of the state party (and some Democrats) wanting to impose their concept of morality.
One of the joys of democracy is a consensus of what is right and what is wrong AKA morality. For democracy to work, one has to accept the consensus as is or after accepting it, work to change it. Another alternative is revolution and installation of government based on science and rational law but that route gets messy fast.
Brian, while I agree with you on many issues, some of your views run a bit out of line for the conservative mainstream in this state. I will have to agree to disagree with you on this subject.
My goal is not to swim with the mainstream when I disagree with them. Although I have no hard evidence (I doubt you do either), I do not think I’m out of the mainstream on this issue.
You are not out of the mainstream at all Brian. Considering Shelby Co. is “conseratively” (pun intended) over 70% Republican and Sunday alcohol sales have never raised an eye until now, there is an uproar, and just wait until Sept. 30 when all the people who like to go out to eat on Sunday with their families and heaven forbid want to have a glass of wine are told No.
There is no mutual exclusion between Christianity and alcohol consumption. If we are to follow that logic, if we are enjoying our day of rest why can’t we enjoy a delicious adult beverage while relaxing??
This whole “unconstitutionality” because of the multiple issues doesn’t pass the smell test. What was really going on then? Jack I don’t buy that he would have signed both bills if they were split up.
Von Buskirk,
In order for your charge to any credibility, you have to explain why Riley signed the bill allowing Houston County to vote on Sunday alcohol sales. Riley’s office reportedly tried to get the two issues on this more recent bill split up, and was unsuccessful. (I would really like to know what the big deal here was — just split them up and avoid a fight.) Riley has said he would sign them both if they were split, and I believe him.
I find it hard to believe that every bill that has come across Riley’s desk has passed all supposed constitutional maladies with flying colors and that this is the very first one and it just so happens to be one that the teetotalers have been tapping Riley on the back with, just like the gambling issue.
My interpretation of this is that Riley is worried about his legacy as a governor and wants to make sure he can tell Jesus that he did his Christian duty.
O.K., so your “interpretation” basically comes down to unfounded speculation utterly at odds with the known facts. This is what is generally referred to as a smear.
I don’t see your facts. I see speculation/spin on your side. Yes, I’ll keep my skepticism.
The fact that the governor just signed a bill into law allowing Houston County to approve Sunday alcohol sales only counts as “spin” on this issue to someone who is hellbent on making sure that no facts penetrate his carefully constructed biases. Heaven forbid that he might have to climb down off his steaming pile of… rhetoric and actually deal with the truth.
I’m not looking at Houston County. Apples and oranges. I am looking at evangelicals in Shelby County who have lots of money and the governor’s ear. That’s the steamy pile I see and it ain’t… rhetoric.
Please name said evangelicals. Do you really expect anyone with a brain to believe that Shelby County is MORE evangelical and anti-alcohol than Houston County? Please. The lengths to which you are going to prop up this nutty house of cards is kind of amusing. Actually, come to think of it you aren’t really putting out much effort… just throwing unfounded assertions out there and hoping something sticks.
The Senate bucked up and overrode the veto today.