1-minute voter guide: Colorado Propositions 124, 125, and 126 on alcohol sales

Three questions on the 2022 poll suggest dramatic modifications to the state’s liquor legal guidelines.

Why it issues: All of the efforts failed to achieve help on the state Legislature in recent times, so proponents are spending massive cash to take them to voters this November.

What to know: The poll questions are primarily pushed by alcohol purveyors — who’re pumping in massive cash — to develop gross sales past the restrictive Colorado legal guidelines that restrict the variety of liquor shops and the place alcohol might be bought.

1) Proposition 124 permits liquor retailer chains so as to add extra places, as much as eight in 2026 and rising regularly to a vast quantity beginning in 2037. Now, they’re restricted to at most 4 places by 2031.

• Flashback: Previous to a regulation change in 2017, every liquor retailer proprietor may have just one location, and limits utilized to the place they have been positioned.

What they’re saying: Supporters say the measure brings parity as a result of grocery retailer chains can have extra hooked up liquor shops than different retailers.

The opposite aspect: Opponents — specifically independently owned liquor shops, credited with serving to set up the state’s craft beer and spirits scene — say it could put mom-and-pop retailers out of enterprise as a result of they do not have the power to develop.

2) Proposition 125 hits on a well-liked shopper grievance: The shortage of wine gross sales in grocery shops.

What to know: It might enable the 1,819 places that promote beer — notably grocery and comfort shops — to promote wine and associated drinks, in addition to conduct tastings beginning in March 2023.

• Gross sales are restricted to 8am to midnight.

What they’re saying: The proponents argue that this is able to make it simpler for customers to purchase what they need in a single journey.

The opposite aspect: The unbiased liquor shops that now are the purveyors of wine — due to present authorized restrictions — say it could harm their enterprise.

3) Proposition 126: Who can promote and ship alcohol would change with this poll query.

• The measure permits third-party corporations, similar to Drizzly, to ship alcohol from liquor, grocery and comfort shops, bars, eating places and related companies. Proper now, it is restricted to the person firm’s staff.
• It additionally would make everlasting the present capability — set to run out in 2025 — for bars and eating places to promote takeout and supply alcoholic drinks.

The opposite aspect: The opponents — specifically present alcohol retailers — argue it removes present safeguards at bodily shops on the subject of age verification.

• And it cuts into their gross sales. The transfer to promoting beer in grocery shops led to a roughly 30% minimize in enterprise, they are saying.