A bill seeking to ban retail sales of cold beer in Tennessee has reportedly received a lukewarm reception by lawmakers, with even Republicans unsure about the legislation.
State Representative Ron Gant (R-Piperton) filed HB 2845 late last month which would prohibit retail companies who are currently permitted to sell beer under Tennessee law from selling “refrigerated or cold beer to consumers.”
Despite being filed in the Tennessee House on January 31, it has yet to receive a committee vote or be scheduled on a calendar. The Senate version of the bill, SB 2636 by State Senator Paul Rose (R-Lauderdale), was referred to the Senate State and Local Government Committee on February 5.
Gant filed the legislation more than a year after he was seriously injured in a car accident when he was struck by a drunk driver who was fatally injured in the crash, and WKRN reported the lawmaker “underwent multiple surgeries” and now uses a cane to walk.
The lawmaker reportedly conceded to the outlet that his bill is unlikely to succeed, with neither Republicans nor Democrats in the General Assembly clamoring to support alcohol restrictions. Still, he told WKRN, “The purpose of this and the goal of this conversation and this legislation, I hope, sparks a conversation across this state.”
Democrats in the Tennessee House told the outlet they saw little appetite for the restriction on businesses, with House Democratic Caucus Chair John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville) warning of the bill’s likely unpopularity with voters and State Representative Justin Jones (D-Nashville) telling WKRN that he would rather Gant focus on gun control restrictions.
Lt. Governor Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) told the outlet Gant’s bill “appears a little to heavy-handed as a way to stop [drunk driving],” and the outlet reported that “Republicans are treading cautiously around this bill.”
The outlet noted that lawmakers have previously focused on harsher penalties as a preferred method to lower the number of drunk driving offenses in Tennessee, and in 2022, the General Assembly successfully passed a bill that requires drivers to pay child support to the families of their victims if they kill a parent.
A second law passed that year mandated those convicted of vehicular homicide be sentenced to between 15 and 60 years in prison.
At the time, McNally told The Tennessee Star the legislation would “serve as a critical deterrent” against those considering committing the crime and provide peace of mind to victims and an “overall boost to public safety.”
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Georgia Star News, The Virginia Star, and the Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Who assigned the Department f Agriculture committee to ban hemp derivatives ?
Tennesseans voted for legal Medical Marijuana and they refused to do the will of the people.
Now they are giving in to Big Pharma and taking away NON ADDICTIVE natural medicine for the elderly and sick. Hemp spectrums help with so many illnesses; Seizures, neurological, pain, sleeplessness and a host of other ills. It is very sad to see so many of my friends in pain (they took most pharmaceutical pain meds from the elderly because they were so addictive) who are worried they will be back to suffering because of their actions.
Please call the Governors office and tell them to leave the Hemp Alone !
We have an epidemic of fentanyl and meth that is coming across our borders that is killing tens of thousands a year, why don’t they concentrate on that ?
was it backed up by actual statistics?
or just a random idea
Consequences for criminals! what a novel idea. How about applying it to all crime. If you are simply introducing legislation to “spark a Conversation” perhaps it time you find another way to spend your time. We need less legislation from government not cocktail party fodder.