State House Committee Sets Stage For Another Pa. Liquor Privatization Battle
By Tony Romeo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The state House Liquor Control Committee advanced a liquor privatization bill Monday, setting up a likely vote by the full House later this week.
The bill – which would phase out state stores -- is similar to one that passed the House two years ago, but died for lack of Senate action at the end of last year.
"As a freshman, I'm wondering, sort of a bill that has been, in one form or another, been introduced since before I was born -- I'm just kind of curious…what's the rush?" asks Democrat Peter Schweyer of Lehigh County, who is a member of the House Liquor Control Committee.
A bigger question might be what's the rush given that the new governor opposes liquor privatization?
"We don't have a budget," says Chester County Republican Chris Ross -- chairman of the House Liquor Control Committee.
(Reporter) "So this is a budget bargaining chip?"
"I would think that there certainly is going to be need to be consideration of this legislation along with other important pieces of legislation as we're moving forward through to June," says Ross.
The House speaker is a major backer of privatization.