UPDATE: 3:30pm
The Michigan Liquor Control Commission is loosening up its interpretation of the state’s new Sunday morning liquor sales law.
The new law includes a provision allowing local governments to prohibit alcohol sales on Sunday mornings. But the commission had said that any town or city doing so would be outlawing liquor sales ALL DAY Sunday. That left many communities with a very uncomfortable choice.
Julie Wendt is the director for executive services for the liquor commission. She says the commission has decided to put aside its concerns about wording in the new state law and allow local governments the option to ban Sunday AM liquor sales.
"its not our job to interpret that statute. We’re going to process accordingly what the local governments want to prohibit.”
Local governments have until next Wednesday to inform the commission that they are banning Sunday AM alcohol sales. After that businesses can apply for the licenses.
original post 14:28
The Michigan Liquor Control Commission says its not going to follow the state's new Sunday AM liquor sales law to the letter. Initially, the commission said the law would allow local governments to opt out of Sunday morning alcohol sales only if they banned all sales on Sundays. Now, the commission says it will abide by the intent of the law, and allow communities to ban only Sunday sales between 7am and noon.