No more election day blue law tomfoolery in Indiana.

For as long as I've been blogging, primary and general election days have been dry, at least until the polls closed at 6:00 p.m.

It always was sadly necessary to remind blog readers that owing to the state's inexplicable fondness for archaic blue laws, no alcoholic beverages could be served by licensed establishments at the same time as ostensibly sober people are allowed to vote, often errantly.

No more. The law finally has been scrapped, and on Tuesday (May 4), both NABC locations will observe regular business hours, sans beer tapping restrictions. It's a small step for a civic-minded bibulophile's personal freedom, and a giant leap for simple, basic rationality.

This belatedly scrapping of the election day ban on alcohol sales is but one part of delightfully useful legislation, originally SB 75, and now SEA 75 in finished, signed form. The bill was explained briefly by Rep. Ed Clere last week in his Tribune column last week. Another section, which also took effect immediately upon signing, involves the rationalization of Sunday serving hours. Now they're the same, each day of the week.

Meanwhile, Sunday growler sales for microbreweries and brewpubs will start on Sunday, July 4, otherwise known as Growler Independence Day.

On Tuesday, after voting, there'll be no waiting for Elector. Free at last ... free at last.

C-J on microbrewery Sunday carry-out sales.

I don't think the photo makes Matt look bad at all.

Microbrewers in Indiana hail end of ban on takeout sales on Sunday, by Lesley Stedman Weidenbener (Courier-Journal).

The change essentially puts microbreweries in the same category as wineries, treating both more like tourist attractions than alcohol vendors such as liquor stores, bars and other locations that continue to be banned from selling takeout beer, wine or liquor on Sundays.

Don't ask me why, but ...

If you're near Bank Street Brewhouse circa 4:00 p.m. today (Thursday, March 18), come in and have a beer. I'm buying.

Caveat emptor: You must be present at 4:00 p.m., on the button. You must RSVP below, or else it's Dutch Treat. Don't ask me why, and don't expect for it to happen again. I have my reasons.

Got it?

Speaking of beer, I wrote about the momentous SB 75 legislation in yesterday's LEO: "Free at last, free at last." How something so progressive came from the same place that's so regressive is a mystery, but a welcomed one.

And don't forget this: The New Albany Bicentennial Public Art Project needs your empty beer bottles at Bank Street Brewhouse on Saturday, March 20.

I'm done writing for today.

SB 75 passes 2nd reading in the House, should go up for 3rd today.

We're almost there.

SB 75 passes 2nd reading in the House, should go up for 3rd today.

Nothing's guaranteed, but it's looking good for growlers on Sunday.

Growlers on Sunday? SB 75 up for Senate vote today.

Afternoon update: SB 75 has passed through the Indiana Senate by a tally of 41-9. It's on to House committee)

The Indiana Senate will vote some time this afternoon on SB 75:

"Sunday carryout by microbreweries. Allows a microbrewery to sell the brewery's beer for carryout on Sunday at the address for which the brewer's permit was issued."

I'm pleased to note that on Tuesday, New Albany's Sen. Connie Sipes was added to the bill as co-author. She has indicated support. If we make it through today's vote, the process begins anew in the House.

I've been dropping lines to the three senators closest to us here in Southern Indiana. Their e-mail links are below if you'd like to do the same. "Please vote yes on SB 75" is sufficient as a message.

District 45 - points north and east: James Lewis
District 46 - New Albany and Floyd County: Connie Sipes
District 47 - points west: Richard Young

I'll return later today and update this post with the results.

Round One to craft brewers in Indiana: SB 75 passes in committee.

Previously at NAC: “It’s a tourism issue and it’s a specialty item and it’s a true art.”

I intended to comment on SB 75 earlier, did so to some degree during a discussion of Election Day sales legislation, but didn't finish my thoughts. So ...

SB 75 passed in Indiana Senate committee on Wednesday afternoon, with a vote of 9-2. Senators Zakas and Delph dissented, the latter appending a statement of principle to his "nay", but with the former, who did not speak his mind on the bill, remaining silent. Sorry, but I find it hard to respect silence.

Interestingly, during my brief testimony before the committee, Senator Waltz (he voted "yes") jokingly asked me: "Have you at any time, or are you now, a Hoosier Beer Geek?" I responded in the affirmative, and wished I'd worn my "These Machines Kill Fascists" shirt, or at least brought a facsimile of Woody Guthrie's guitar. I have a feeling that neither Delph nor Zakas would have appreciated it, and that fact makes me almost as happy as Imperial Stout on a sub-zero afternoon.

My brief comments were restricted to elaborating on the joys of watching Hoosier tax revenue travel to Kentucky for deposit each and every Sunday of my working career, and seeing micros in Kentucky sell growlers on a day that we cannot.

Fear not: The Brewers of Indiana Guild made a strong case for relief based on parity with craft wineries (which can sell wine to go on Sunday), the artisanal nature of craft beer, the local impact of small business, the integral part that we've played in various downtown revivals, and the fact that tourism for the sake of craft beer is not a laughing matter at all. Among others, Senator Taylor noted that his mind had been changed by the strength of the presentation, and although Bud Light's still good enough for him, he can see the point and agrees with it.

That's good, because we're going to need both strong argumentation and a measure of plain good luck. In essence, we must sidestep the mega-lobbyists' current battle royale over the issue of Sunday carry-out sales in general, as it pertains to package stores, groceries and other macro-entities, and keep the topic restricted to microbrewing in particular, and our special position as artisans. As a guild, we don't have dogs in those fights, and we need to keep it that way.

Senators Simpson and Alting are powerful advocates of common sense, but they have rightly vowed to kill our bill if outside interests hijack it with amendments. There's no benefit to anyone hijacking it, but then again, politics isn't about logic. Conceivably, any grandstanding moralist in the Senate could amend the bill, and if a procedural appeal to remove the amendment is rejected, succeed in maneuvering us into keeping our word and removing it sans a vote on the actual merits.

Will that happen? As Frank Zappa once said, "I figure the odds be 50/50."

If SB 75 makes it through the Senate next week, the process begins anew in the House with another bill, another hearing, another vote, and if all that comes down, a reconciliation of the two. I may have the order of movement wrong, but it shows that we've only just begun the process.

On the local front, both Connie Sipes (Senate) and Ed Clere (House) have indicated support. I appreciate that, and I'm sure that Professor Erika does not, although I can promise local teabaggers (and fleabaggers) that Sunday growler sales will not lead to new TIF areas or to any reason why Steve Price might start drinking better beer.

The coverage of the committee hearing on Indianapolis' WISH-8 is fairly good, and can be viewed and read here.