AUSTIN, Texas — Cheers, Texas: You can now legally buy beer and wine at stores starting at 10 a.m. on Sundays.
House Bill 1518 was passed by the 87th Texas Legislature and went into effect on Wednesday, Sept. 1, along with 665 other new laws. The law amends the Alcoholic Beverage Code to allow grocery stores and convenience stores to sell beer and wine starting at 10 a.m. on Sundays instead of having to wait until noon.
During the rest of the week, stores can sell beer and wine from 7 a.m. until midnight Monday through Friday and from 7 a.m. Saturday until 1 a.m. Sunday.
Liquor sales are still off-limits on Sundays. You also still can't buy liquor on Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's Day or before 10 a.m. or after 9 p.m. on any other day.
The bill does, however, include an amendment that allows hotel bars to sell alcohol to registered guests at any time of day.
The start of Texas alcohol bans goes back to 1935 when lawmakers passed the Texas Liquor Control Act in response to the repeal of Prohibition. The act also created the Texas Liquor Control Board, which would later be renamed the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC). The act itself was updated in 1977, becoming the Alcoholic Beverage Code.
Relaxed rules for beer and wine sales weren't the only win for alcohol drinkers this legislative session. In May, Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bipartisan bill that made alcohol to-go legal in Texas.
Other laws that are now in effect in Texas as of Sept. 1 include "permitless carry," a ban on abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected and more.
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