A state Senate bill aimed at relaxing the state's liquor laws will likely be amended due to opposition from liquor retailers, its author said.

Senate Bill 651 by Sen. Frank Shurden, D-Henryetta, would extend liquor store hours to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and would also allow them to be open New Year's Day and Veterans Day.

Currently, liquor stores are only allowed to be open between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Aaron Petrone, owner of Campus Liquors, 2804 Chautauqua Ave., said he is in favor of staying open for an extra hour.

"Our hours are so limited already, the extra hour would probably help," Petrone said.

Shurden said he wrote the bill under suggestion from retailers, but that once it was introduced, other retailers opposed it.

"It was brought to me by some people who wanted to change it, but they hadn't checked with all their other counterparts," Shurden said.

He said the opposing retailers were concerned about public safety and the retailers in favor of the bill relented after hearing of the opposition.

Bruce Green, owner of Corkscrew Wine and Spirits, 2319 W. Lindsey St., said he was opposed to staying open until 10 p.m.

"That's more hours for us to put in, and it would be hard for us to get help to stay open that late in the evening," Green said. "We'd have a harder time keeping the store staffed."

Green said safety was also an issue.

"Your rougher crowd comes in later in the evening," he said. "I think your chance of robbery is greater that late in the evening."

Shelby Mckinzey, criminology senior, said she thinks liquor stores should be able to stay open until 10 p.m.

"I don't think there should be restrictions on how late they can stay open," Mckinzey said. "People are going to drink if they want to drink."

Shurden said the bill would be amended to keep the current operating hours and to leave stores closed New Year's Day.

Petrone said he thinks stores should be allowed to be open New Year's Day.

"Every hard-working American finally gets a day off, and they can't go buy a bottle of wine-it just doesn't make any sense," he said.

Green said many people don't know liquor stores are closed New Year's Day.

"We have tons of people who come to the door on New Year's Day, and they can't believe we're closed," he said.

Ashlee Dorsey, University College freshman, said she thinks allowing liquor stores to be open on holidays such as New Year's Day could be harmful.

"In the spirit of the holiday, people can get carried away and make one too many trips [to a liquor store]," Dorsey said.

The bill also intended to allow alcohol wholesalers to sell or deliver liquor and wine to liquor stores New Year's Day and Memorial Day.

"That will probably be taken out," Shurden said. "The bill really doesn't do much once we get it amended, so I don't know if it will go anywhere or not."

Once amended, Shurden said,the bill's only purpose would be to allow liquor stores to stay open Veterans Day.

Green said some of his customers are veterans. He said he would like them to be able to purchase liquor on their day of recognition.

Shurden said changes in term limits have made it more difficult to make changes to the state's liquor laws.

"It's probably more difficult now than it used to be," he said. "Most legislators are afraid to vote on this sort of legislation-they're affraid it might come back to haunt them."

Petrone said he thinks the state's liquor laws are too strict.

"I feel like Oklahoma is really tight on their liquor laws and it's just ridiculous," he said. "This is the only product in Oklahoma that's this strictly regulated."

Mckinzey said she doesn't have a problem with the state's liquor laws, but that she thinks they don't serve their intended purpose.

"I don't think they're going to do a lot to address the drinking problems that we have," she said.

Matt Jorgensen, sociology senior, said the state's liquor laws are fine the way they are.

"They seem to be liberal enough to serve my needs," Jorgensen said.

Shurden said the bill has been assigned to the Senate Business and Labor Committee for the next step of the amendment process.
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