Warm-beer proposal receives chilly response from critics, public
By Erin Meyers, 3/6/06

Warm-Beer Proposal Receives Chilly Response from Critics, Public
Since Sen. Bill Alter last introduced a bill to prohibit the sales of chilled, individual cans of beer by grocery or convenience stores, little progress has occurred.

In a committee hearing on Feb. 14, the originator of the bill, fifth grade Cedar Hill Intermediate student, Kristen Bogert, and her parents were in attendance. Also present were three superintendents from the Northwest R-1 school district. According to Alter, the time devoted to the bill at the hearing was more of a learning experience for Bogert.

Also present at the hearing was Bud Balke, MADD director of court monitoring. Balke, who spoke in support of the bill, acknowledged that many people, including opponents, do not view this bill to have endurance.

“It did not seem to catch a lot of questions from the sponsors or opposers,” Balke said.

Balke said a representative from Anheuser Busch was present at the hearing, but said the representative announced, “He didn’t want to be spanked by any of the school officials,” then stood and left the meeting.

Alter, while supporting the bill, has little faith in its future. According to Alter, this particular bill sits low in the list of priorities of the Senate, which includes eminent domain.

Despite Alter’s lack of confidence in the bill, he explained that the bill has been revised. According to the new regulations, the law would only be relevant to convenience stores connected to gas stations, and only individually chilled cans of beer would be eliminated.

“I know people who work at convenience stores and their [drunk drivers] favorite is the tall-man, 32-ounce cold,” Alter said.

When asked why only individual cans were targeted with the bill, Alter explained: “They serve coffee at convenient stores too, but they serve it warm because it’s intended to be consumed right away. It’s just common sense.”

Ben Murray, manager at the Quick Trip located at 3211 Clark Lane was unsure of the effects such a bill could have.

“It would decrease sales of individual products that we sell cold, although it may increase the sales of six packs. It could have some effect,” Murray said.

According to Balke, the bill has not been voted out of the committee, which has delayed progress.

Balke said MADD believes the bill is a good “grass roots” bill but believes Alter is only following through with the promise he made to Bogert.

“We applaud Sen. Alter’s commitment to his constituents,” Balke said.

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