Home Delivery Of Alcohol Debated By Louisiana Legislature

Could a bucket of beer be coming to your front door?  That will all depend on the outcome of debates scheduled on two pieces of legislation in the Louisiana Senate turn out. The two measures cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday and very soon the full Senate will have the opportunity to discuss the merits of each bill.

The first piece of legislation proposes that grocery stores and liquor stores would be allowed to deliver alcohol in a factory-sealed bottle to residents who meet current alcohol purchase guidelines and do not live on a college campus.

The second piece of legislation would allow third-party companies such as Waitr to bring beer and wine to residences along with a food order.

Each piece of legislation includes stipulations and restrictions such as the delivery driver must be a W-2 employee of the business offering the service. The driver would also need a special servers permit and be required to check identification upon delivery. The delivery driver would also have the ability and responsibility to not deliver alcohol to persons that are already intoxicated.

Proponents of the measures suggest that allowing alcohol delivery would cut down on drunk driving on Louisiana's roadways. Those opposed to the idea suggest the measures could lead to increased alcohol abuse in the state.