SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - At the Utah Capitol Friday, a bill allowing state liquor stores to open on holidays passed a house committee.
But it may die in the state senate.
House Bill 283 would allow some liquor stores to be open on some holidays.
Even though it was overwhelmingly approved by a house committee Friday, powerful Senate President Michael Waddoups - and maybe his wife - could get the last word on the bill's future.
Just moments after HB 283 passed was approved Friday by a legislative committee, Anna Kay Waddoups told ABC 4 that she was,
“Extremely disappointed."
It was 11 years ago this week that Mrs. Waddoups was hit by a drunk driver.
She suffered injuries which plague her to this day.
The accident occurred on Valentine's Day and may explain why she opposes DABC liquor sales on holidays.
Mrs. Waddoups told us,
“I think this is just one more foot in the door to making alcohol more available."
The bill's sponsor feels compassion for Mrs. Waddoups and her bill does ban liquor sales on New Years Day, July 4th, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
But it would allow certain stores to be open on other holidays where people drink less.
Rep. Patrice Arent is sponsoring the HB 283 and says,
“I don't see more drunk drivers on the road on Martin Luther King's birthday or Columbus Day. This is not about those holidays where people are really drinking a lot."
But that does little to comfort Mrs. Waddoups who commented,
"I think is a bad day, a sad day."
Even though this bill was approved by this house committee and may be approved by the entire house,
don't bet on it passing the senate.
The senate is run by President Michael Waddoups, husband of Anna Kay.
Waddoups told ABC 4,
"I have a hard time thinking it’s going to get supported over here on the senate side."
Now, Anna Kay Waddoups chairs a state DUI committee and Arent says Mrs. Waddoups has every right to speak out on this issue.
But Arent also says one of her close friends was killed by a drunk driver and Arent still plans on pushing ahead with her bill.
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