TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) – Kansas grocery and convenience stores will be able to sell regular beer starting in 2019 after a years-long effort to get full-strength brews into the stores.

Republican Gov. Sam Brownback signed a bill Tuesday allowing grocery and convenience stores to sell beer with up to 6 percent alcohol by volume. They can now sell cereal malt beverage with 3.2 percent alcohol by weight. In exchange, liquor stores will be able to sell cereal malt beverages and more non-alcoholic products, such as shot glasses, mixers, lottery tickets and tobacco products.

The House and Senate passed the bill earlier this month.

Lawmakers have debated the issue for years. Some said they were concerned large grocery chains would put independent liquor stores out of business. But grocery and liquor stores found the compromise.

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