The owner of Rickers convenience stores says he is keeping all his legal options on the table if lawmakers pass a bill he thinks singles out his business for figuring out a way to sell cold beer. A proposal released this afternoon would allow Rickers to continue to sell cold beer for carry out at its two convenience stores, but only until its license expires.
Rickers has come under fire for figuring out how to sell carry out cold beer at its convenience stores in Sheridan and Columbus, even though lawmakers say it runs contrary to state public policy.
The deal reached on HB 1496, would allow any facility that was permitted to have carry out prior to November 1, 2016 to continue to do so. However any permit issued between November 1, 2016 and May 15 could keep their carry out permit until it expired or was extended until April of 2018. Any permit issues after May 15 could only serve carryout if 60 percent of its alcohol consumption was on premises.
Rickers CEO Jay Ricker says the proposal singles out his business and treats him unfairly because he falls in that middle category, however House Public Policy Chairman Ben Smaltz called the proposal a good solution and no one got everything they wanted. He says Rickers could still sell cold beer at its convenience stores, just not for carry out once its license expires.
A vote is expected tomorrow, however it is unclear whether it can pass.
You can hear both Smaltz and Ricker in the Leon-Tailored Audio here.
