State Rep. Richard Floyd, R-Chattanooga, speaks against a bill seeking to allow cities to hold referendums on whether to allow supermarket wine sales during a House Local Government Committee meeting in Nashville on Tuesday. At left is Rep. Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby, and at right is Rep. Jimmy Eldridge, R-Jackson, both of whom voted in favor of the measure.NASHVILLE – The House committee that killed last year’s version of a bill to allow wine sales in Tennessee grocery stores on Tuesday overwhelmingly voted in favor of giving cities the ability to hold referendums on the proposal.
The House Local Government Committee voted 13-3 to advance the bill sponsored by Republican Rep. Jon Lundberg of Bristol.
“I’m excited,” said House Speaker Beth Harwell, R-Nashville and a lead proponent of the wine measure. “I think they’ve taken the appropriate action in listening to their constituents.”
Rep. Richard Floyd, R-Chattanooga, who was one of the three no votes on the Local Government Committee, earlier complained to colleagues that it “offends me” that proponents crafted a detour that left the panel dealing only with the referendum issue. “Is it because we’re not smart enough or voted against it last year?” Floyd asked.
The lawmaker routinely opposes alcohol-expansion bills, but he focused more on the impact that changes would have on mom-and-pop liquor store owners.