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].
