The provision is seen as allowing larger retailers that sell beer and have gas memberships, such as Sam’s Club and Costco, to obtain liquor licenses, while omitting convenience stores that may be 2,500 to 5,000 square feet.
Sen. Frank Artiles, a Miami Republican who voted against the bill, said Thursday that with the issue “in flux,” he expects the Senate will again have to address the issue.
Last week, during a highly spirited floor debate, Artiles said the gas station provision provides an unfair advantage to out-of-state corporations.
“We have gas stations, hundreds, thousands of local gas stations that are exempted in this bill,” Artiles said. “These bills don’t just stack the deck against small businesses, they ensure that they don’t even get a fair-hand. If this bill becomes law, it will decimate the family-owned small business, and unfortunately a lot of Floridians will lose their jobs.”
Avila said other lawmakers have expressed concerns about a proliferation of liquor stores on every corner, which he added shouldn’t be an issue due to the state’s liquor license quota system and local zoning requirements.
