Minnesota’s 158-year-old ban on Sunday liquor store sales will remain for at least another year.

The House voted 70-56 to keep the ban in place Thursday.

Minnesota is one of a dozen with similar blue laws. Most of the other states are southern, along with Utah, Montana, and Indiana.

Minnesota already allows a few exceptions, mostly approved in recent years. Craft breweries and microdistilleries can make limited sales on Sundays. Restaurants and bars can serve alcohol with municipal approval.

“This is an issue of freedom: economic freedom, freedom for consumers,” said Rep. Jenifer Loon, R-Eden Prairie, whose proposal would have allowed Sunday sales with municipal approval. “The time has come.”

Proponents argue that it’s good business and common sense to allow liquor store sales. Border cities lose business to states that allow sales on Sundays, they say.

“This would be the elimination of one very small piece of repressive government,” said Rep. Phyllis Kahn, DFL-Minneapolis. “We’re talking about people who may work five days a week and their only shopping day may be Saturday (or) Sunday.”

Opponents claim that the law gives small, locally owned liquor store workers a much-needed day off and keeps them competitive with large chain stores, which could more easily staff the extra day.

Bars and microbreweries also could be harmed by the competition, they said.

Rep. Laurie Halverson, DFL-Eagan, objected to “changing the rules” on businesses, saying that under the current law, mom-and-pop and big-box businesses alike are able to compete.

Rep. Connie Bernardy, DFL-New Brighton, claimed that any increased liquor sales could lead to increased medical costs and public-safety hazards.

Voting was split across party lines, similar to past votes on Sunday sales. Several representatives flipped sides on the issue from last year. Rep. Tony Cornish, R-Vernon Center, changed from “no” last year to “yes” this year because, he said, he now believes the arguments against Sunday sales are “archaic.”

In 2015, the House voted 75-57 against Sunday sales. This year several members switched their votes — both ways — and many members were absent.

In 2015, the Senate voted 35-28 against Sunday sales.

Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis, said he does not believe the Senate will take a Sunday sales vote this year.

The general feeling, he said, is “we’ve already kind of dealt with this matter in this legislative session. … Why take another vote?”

Supporters of legal Sunday sales have run a vigorous social-media campaign and said they would make it an “issue during the 2016 election campaigns” if it doesn’t pass the Legislature this year.

Here’s the 2016 House vote:

Here were the votes in 2015: