Bill would allow liquor stores to open on Sundays

Premium liquors are ready to be served at the Marfreless bar in River Oaks on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012, in Houston. ( J. Patric Schneider / For the Chronicle ) Premium liquors are ready to be served at the Marfreless bar in River Oaks on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012, in Houston. ( J. Patric Schneider / For the Chronicle ) Photo: J. Patric Schneider, Freelance Photo: J. Patric Schneider, Freelance Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Bill would allow liquor stores to open on Sundays 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

A state lawmaker from Houston is reviving an effort to revoke a "blue law" that keeps liquor stores closed on Sundays.

Democratic Rep. Senfronia Thompson filed a bill last week that proposed liquor stores be allowed to operate seven days a week.

Under the current law, liquor stores may operate from Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The stores must close on Sunday, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. If Christmas or New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the stores must close the following Monday, according to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.

Thompson's proposal would allow the stores to be open from noon to 10 p.m. on Sundays, but the stores would continue to remain closed on the holidays.

More than 35,000 restaurants and bars in Texas sell alcohol every Sunday. The ban on Sunday alcohol sales, dating back to before Prohibition, exists only for the state's 2,460 liquor stores.

Since 2002, 14 states have repealed Sunday liquor bans, including Texas' neighbors, New Mexico, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mexico. Thirty-six states permit Sunday liquor sales.

Texas could potentially gain $7.5 million in new revenue every other year if the Sunday ban were lifted, according to a 2011 Texas Legislative Budget Board analysis.

During the 2011 legislative session, a similar measure failed to gain traction. Companion bills filed by state Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, and Rep. Jose Aliseda, R-Beeville, were left pending in committee.

Another state law permits car dealerships to open on Saturday or Sunday, but not both. Utah has a similar law.