Nov. 19, 2015
HARRISBURG – Speaker of the House Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) issued the following statement today in response to the House passing historic liquor privatization legislation (
House Bill 1690) and sending it to the Senate for consideration:
“Once again, House Republicans led the charge to move Pennsylvania into the 21st century,” said Turzai, the prime sponsor of the legislation. “This bill would responsibly and completely divest the state from both the wholesale and retail sale of wine and spirits and remove government from an archaic system that burdens taxpayers.”
The bill would allow current beer distributors right of first refusal of permits to sell both wine and spirits at their establishments. It also would permit restaurants and hotels to sell wine and spirits, and grocery stores to sell wine.
Turzai highlighted the most recent evidence that the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board’s (PLCB) conflict of interest in both selling and regulating is costing Pennsylvania taxpayers.
Just days ago, the Governmental Accounting Standards Board required the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to fully account for its liabilities. The audit found the PLCB is $238.7 million in the red, mostly due to its state employees’ pension plan costing $362.7 million annually. This is more than four times its typical annual return of tax revenues.
Turzai encouraged the Senate to pass the legislation as they did in June. He is also calling upon the governor to sign the legislation when it arrives at his desk.
“The governor has demanded an increase in revenues, and this measure does that with broad-based bipartisan support among the public,” he said.
Pennsylvania still remains one of only two states where government has full control of both retail and wholesale sale of wine and liquor.
Representative Mike Turzai
The Speaker
28th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Jay Ostrich
717.772.9943 (office), 717.649.6547 (cell)
jostrich@pahousegop.com
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