Here’s how it’s going since Texas lifted a ban on Sunday morning beer and wine sales

By Maria Halkias of The Dallas Morning News. Excerpt:

"A year ago, the law changed in Texas to allow stores to sell beer and wine before noon on Sundays. People who moved to the state never quite understood why grocery stores’ big, elaborate wine and beer sections were out of bounds because of the time on the clock.

The idea of customer convenience was cited most often by the grocery and convenience stores that pushed the Texas Legislature to change the law that banned beer and wine sales on Sunday mornings.

One year later, it looks like everyone is behaving. According to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, no enforcement issues have come up at stores in Dallas since the law changed.

Stores say they’re no longer losing incremental beer and wine sales, which now start at 10 a.m. on Sundays instead of noon. Since the law changed, total monthly Dallas sales tax collections from grocery and convenience stores are up from a year ago. Groceries aren’t taxed in Texas, but alcoholic beverages are.

Data compiled by the Texas comptroller doesn’t separate sales tax collections by merchandise category. So it’s difficult to say with certainty whether the law change boosted sales."