ABC change would allow for curbside delivery of alcohol

DECATUR, Ala. — Unless lawmakers intervene, Alabamians later this year could get their beer and wine without having to enter a store.

The Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board this week approved a rule change allowing grocery stores that offer online ordering to let customers place an order for beer or wine and have it brought to and loaded into the customer’s vehicle.

The board Wednesday made one change to the original proposal, striking a requirement that the grocery be at least 30,000 square feet or more. Now, the curbside pickup rule applies to any size store that offers online ordering and meets other requirements, ABC spokesman Dean Argo said Thursday.

Retail giant Walmart has requested curbside delivery of alcohol in some other states, according to media reports. Its website says the service is available in some locations and store associates will not deliver to anyone who appears intoxicated.

The rule change had been advertised from April through June 5, and the board received 17 comments from the public. Most of those opposed were concerned about the square footage minimum requirement and a “carve out” advantage for big-box retailers, Argo said.

Sen. Arthur Orr, RDecatur, expressed similar concerns in April.

The ABC board now has until early September to get the proposed change to the Statehouse and the Legislative Council, a panel of lawmakers with oversight of any state agency rule changes.

When the curbside proposal gets to it, the council has 45 days to delay it or offer amendments. If the council does nothing, the rule goes into effect. The council itself couldn’t kill the proposal, but could delay it until the full Legislature meets again next March. Then, a joint resolution approved by both chambers would be needed to stop it.

Sen. Paul Sanford, R-Huntsville, is on the 20-member Legislative Council. He hadn’t heard of the curbside pickup proposal prior to Thursday and said he needed to find out more.

“I don’t know if I consider beer or wine a grocery,” Sanford said. “I would say I have some reservations about that.”

Purchasers of beer and wine must be registered with the retailer and “age verified” prior to ordering beer or wine, according to the proposal. Also, the retailer must have designated parking areas for curbside pickup.

Delivery to a customer’s vehicle may be made only if the name of the purchaser or other person designated to receive delivery matches the name on the receiver’s identification and if he or she is 21 or older.

Store employees delivering alcoholic beverages to vehicles must be 21 or older.