SC House OKs beer, wine same-day delivery. What about permanent curbside pickup?
The South Carolina House approved a proposal Thursday that would allow South Carolinians to buy beer and wine and have it delivered to their home on the same day, overriding critics who say too many underage people could get their hands on alcohol and that it would hurt small businesses.
The chamber also approved by a 99-14 vote a bill to make the state’s temporary curbside pickup option permanent law, a much easier lift in the Legislature since it is already allowed under Gov. Henry McMaster’s emergency order enacted last year.
South Carolina lawmakers filed the twin alcohol proposals during the COVID-19 pandemic, an outbreak in the state that forced South Carolinians to change their shopping habits to try to avoid the potentially dangerous respiratory disease.
Similar to same-day grocery shopping, the measure, passed 84-27, would allow South Carolinians or out-of-state guests 21 years and older to order beer and wine — but not liquor — and get it the same day. The alcohol delivery could only be made by a licensed same-day or third-party delivery service and the driver also would have to be 21 or older and pass a background check.
Upon delivery, the driver would have to scan the customer’s ID to ensure they are of age and make sure the customer is not intoxicated. Delivery to schools, playgrounds, churches or college campus housing would be prohibited.
Forty other states allow the delivery of alcohol, including neighboring Georgia and North Carolina.
State Rep. John McCravy, a Greenwood Republican who does not drink, voted to pass the curbside bill.
But he criticized the delivery proposal, arguing there are not enough barriers to prevent a minor from getting the beer and wine and that the legislation will damage small business, all the while helping the big box retailers like Walmart and Target.
“It seems to push us closer to the goal, the goal that many big alcohol companies have for South Carolina that was stated in testimony I heard, and that is alcohol everywhere, all the time,” he said. ”A lot of us don’t believe this is right for South Carolina, everywhere all the time.”
State Rep. Bill Herbkersman, R-Beaufort, loosely aimed — and failed — to prevent the college crowd from taking advantage of the proposal by attempting to attach an amendment that would ping mom and dad should a delivery of 24 or more bottles of Natural Light or Busch Light be delivered to someone’s home.
Another Republican lawmaker wanted the bill to go further.
“Crazy we live in a state where that’s not currently allowed,” said state Rep. Jonathon Hill, an Anderson Republican who also doesn’t drink alcohol, but offered an amendment to rid the bill of what he called “irrational” restrictions, including a ban on liquor.
“If you’re a bourbon guy, you’re so out of luck,” Hill said.
This story was originally published March 11, 2021 at 12:06 PM.
