A bill allowing grocery stores, convenience stores, big-box stores and other retailers holding cereal malt beverage to sell beer with 6.0 percent alcohol content passed the Kansas Senate Friday.
As The Hutch News reports, the Senate voted 27 to 11 in favor of the measure, which passed the house by a vote of 80 to 45 earlier in the week.
The bill now goes to Governor Sam Brownback for approval and if he signs it, the law will go into effect April 1, 2019.
Republican Sen. Julia Lynn said the bill offers a solution “for the eventual demise of 3.2 beer in grocery stores.”
The bill won’t allow grocery stores and big-box stores to sell wine and spirits under the informal moratorium on the issue for 10 years and liquor stores can add 3.2 alcohol to their shelves and continue to sell 6.0 beer, wine and spirits. The bill allows liquor stores to expand their offerings to include tobacco products. Convenience stores can add 6.0 beer but could lose cigarette and tobacco sales to liquor stores.