Forum/Town Hall: State legislators, Industry Representatives to Hold Roundtable Monday 5/23 on Bill to Allow The Sale of Wine in Grocery Stores

State Assemblyman Joseph D. Morelle (D-Irondequoit) and Senator Tom O’Mara (R-C, Big Flats) will sponsor a roundtable discussion on Monday, May 23, on legislation they’ve recently introduced to make New York the 36th state in the nation to allow the sale of wine in grocery stores.

The legislation (A.7659/S.5358), known as the “Wine Industry and Liquor Store Development Act,” was introduced in the Senate and Assembly last week.

Monday’s roundtable will begin at 12:30 p.m. in Room 711-A of the Legislative Office Building.  Members of the media and the public are invited to attend.

The roundtable will bring together legislators, winemakers, consumer advocates, members of the food industry, representatives of the
agricultural and tourism industries, and other statewide business leaders to examine the economic, fiscal, and consumer benefits of allowing the sale of wine in grocery stores in New York State.

Morelle, O’Mara and other supporters of the move believe it would create thousands of new jobs statewide; stand as a source of long-term economic strength for two of the state’s leading industries, agriculture and tourism; offer consumers choice, convenience and lower prices for a popular product; and generate hundreds of millions of dollars in new revenue for the state and local governments.

A live webcast of Monday’s roundtable will also be available on the state Senate website: http://www.nysenate.gov/live_today