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Gov. Hickenlooper: No Decision On Full-Strength Beer Bill

DENVER (CBS4)- Gov. John Hickenlooper said he plans to do more research before he will decide on whether to support a bill that would allow grocery stores to sell full-strength beer and wine.

Lawmakers passed the bill in the final hours of the session on Wednesday. The bill allows grocery store chains 20 liquor licenses each over the next 20 years.

For every license the stores get from the state, the stores must buy two licenses from existing liquor stores.

Craft Beer Sales In Grocery Stores (4)
(credit: CBS)

If a liquor store is within 1,500 feet of a grocery store and refuses to sell its license, the store is out of luck.

Hickenlooper believes the bill is confusing.

"To be honest, I don't understand it. I talked to several legislators this morning and they couldn't explain it to me either. So I'm not sure who does understand it yet outside the small army of lobbyists that were able to pass this through in the last five days," said Hickenlooper.

He believes his job is to look out for the little guys in deciding whether to sign the bill into law.

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