Free Republic

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Legislature approved a bill Friday that will loosen alcohol restrictions on Sunday mornings. Starting Sept. 1, Texans will be able to purchase beer and wine at stores at 10 a.m. Under current law, stores can’t sell booze until noon. The Texas House approved House Bill 1518 on Friday by a vote of 115-24 with two lawmakers voting present. That approved the House bill with a Senate amendment that allows hotels to sell alcohol to hotel guests at any time of day. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Harold Dutton Jr., D-Houston, sponsored the bill. Lawmakers...

After an investigation of the state’s largest liquor retailer, the TABC sought to yank permits for all 164 of the company’s stores — which would effectively shut it down — or hit Spec’s with fines of up to $713 million, according to court documents filed last week...The judges said TABC failed to prove dozens of allegations, rebuked agency lawyers for failing to disclose evidence to their own witness (and the court) and called out the agency for “stacking” charges, a tactic commonly used to pressure defendants into a settlement...“The governor continues to be deeply concerned about the pattern of practice...

'Dry' counties are drying up in Texas Even more are putting the liquor option to voters since easing of law LUFKIN — Sarah Strinden is tired of what she calls the "pain-in-the-neck" drive she must take as a consequence of Texas' patchwork of local liquor laws. From her house it's a 10-mile jaunt to the metal-sided beer barns and package stores in either of two adjoining wet counties. ''We don't buy a lot and store it, so when we're planning a casual drink with friends it's a 40-minute trip," she said. ''It's just inconvenient." Strinden and others in Angelina County...

Up in Smoke City Hall and the Greater Houston Restaurant Association once again threaten the right to light up in bars Health nuts are gonna feel pretty stupid someday, lying in hospitals, dyin' o' nothin'. -- Redd Foxx Here we go again...City Hall is a-rumble once more with talk of a smoking ban in bars. And no, they aren't responding to a groundswell of popular support -- they are acting at the behest of the Greater Houston Restaurant Association, which has now officially flip-flopped from its partial-ban position from last year. You'll recall that sensible, live-and-let-live legislation -- it banned...

DALLAS — The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission said Wednesday it has suspended a crackdown on public intoxication after a public outcry over the program that sends undercover officers into drinking establishments. The commission announced last week that it was conducting an internal investigation of the program. Beck said the commission opted to put the program on hold "just to give us time to sift through all the information we've received and pull together all the information and determine the best way to proceed." More than 2,200 bar patrons or workers have been arrested or issued citations since August. The purpose...

Many North Texans are complaining about a controversial program during in which state officials arrest people inside bars in order to crack down on public intoxication. The program began years ago, but during the most recent legislative session, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission asked for and received more money to ramp up the operation. As a result, the TABC hired 100 agents to travel from bar to bar looking for drunk people who could pose a danger in an agent's opinion. TABC officials said the program is proactive policing to cut back on drunken driving, but those arrested said it...

Last weekend’s public intoxication sting operation at Progreso drew together several important — but, at times, conflicting — values for Rio Grande Valley residents to consider. About 160 young Valley residents — many of them minors and nearly all of them younger than 21 — were arrested late Saturday night or early Sunday morning after they crossed the international bridge while returning from Nuevo Progreso, Mexico. Under Operation Stronghold, they were detained by Progreso police officers, who were joined by Hidalgo County constable’s deputies and Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission agents, and then were jailed until they or their parents paid...