New Minnesota House members and Sunday liquor sales: An inventory of their positions

Veteran CBS Minnesota political observer Pat Kessler reports in Minn. Lawmakers Prepare For Renewed Sunday Liquor Sales Push:

The issue of Sunday liquor sales is likely to come up again next year, with the new Republican majority in the state legislature.

Minnesota is one of only 12 states that require liquor stores to be closed on Sundays. And many Minnesota consumers cross the border to Wisconsin, where Sunday sales are legal. . . .

Minnesota law bans the sale of alcohol on Sunday, but repealing it is easier said than done. Numerous votes have failed after opposition from the powerful liquor industry.

State Representative Jennifer Loon says she won’t even try to end the statewide ban– but will introduce legislation next year allowing individual cities to vote on Sunday sales.

“Sunday is one of the busiest shopping days of the weekend,” said Loon, a Republican from Eden Prairie. “So, as people look at what they need to get done as consumers, a lot of them want that choice.”

Liquor retailers supporting a Sunday ban say it’s only one of many alcohol restrictions, including what days it can be sold, what time of day, where it can be bought, who can sell it and where it can be consumed.

In the last session, Sunday sales stalled in the Senate, which was not up for election. The Minnesota Beer Activist tells the pro-Sunday sales tale in Senate liquor omnibus tabled,Senate votes on Sunday liquor sales amendment – How they voted and Omnibus liquor bill offered to House with no ability to amend, passes after objections.

This article is reposted from TCDP media partner Bluestem Prairie. Check out the links below for other recent Bluestem Prairie stories:

• New filings & a ruling in Klayman v. City Pages
• MN 12A field report: U of MN-Morris students off-campus also experience voting snags

At MinnPost, Briana Bierschbach summed up the session in Sunday liquor sales dead for session, but lawmakers’ views changing.

Bluestem wondered how last week's election might shift the fortunes of Sunday liquor sales and reviewed the MN Beer Activists spreadsheet prepared for all Minnesota House races, pulling out the results for the 11 seats that flipped party control and those for open seats, as well as the seat in which an incumbent lost his endorsement.

Overall, there's a small net shift to three more yes votes, with additional movement from "No" and "Yes" to "Unknown," although we're likely to learn more about the first year House members' positions if a vote nears.

We'll update this post as we learn more (a query is out about the positions of the retiring members).

New legislators: flipped seats

(All election data via With big assist from rural voters, GOP retakes Minnesota House at MinnPost).

House District 2A: Dave Hancock (52.36 percent) defeated DFL Rep. Roger Erickson (47.49 percent)

Dave Hancock supports Sunday sales; Erickson opposed. MN Beer Activists spreadsheet.

Bluestem assessment: Moves from No to Unknown

House District 47A: Jim Nash (R, replaces Ernie Leidiger)

Supports. MN Beer Activists spreadsheet. Leidiger did not support in 2013

Bluestem's assessment: Flips No to Yes

House District 53B: Kelly Fenton (R, replaces Andrea Kieffer)

Supports. MN Beer Activists spreadsheet. Kieffer supported in 2013

Bluestem Assessment: No Change

House District 55A: Bob Loonan (R, replaces Michael Beard)

Supports. MN Beer Activists spreadsheet.Beard did not support in 2010 or 2013

Bluestem Assessment: Flip No to Yes

House District 56A: Drew Christensen (R, replaces Pam Myhra)

No answer. MN Beer Activists spreadsheet. Myhra supported in 2013.

Bluestem Assessment: Flip Yes to Unknown.

House District 58A: Jon Koznick (R, replaces Mary Liz Holberg)

No answer. MN Beer Activists spreadsheet.Holberg did not support in 2010 or 2013.

Bluestem Assessment: Moves from No to Unknown

House District 64B: Dave Pinto (DFL, replaces Michael Paymar)

No answer to MN Beer Activists spreadsheet. Paymar did support in 2010 and 2013

Bluestem Assessment: Moves from Yes to Unknown

Net open seat/endorsement change: Gain of 2

We'll watch to see how advocates for change and the status quo adapt to the new landscape in the Minnesota House.

Photo: The Minnesota state capitol.