Oklahoma Wine and Beer Amendment, State Question 783 (2016)
| Oklahoma Wine and Beer Amendment, State Question 783 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Amendment |
| Origin | Citizens |
| Topic | Alcohol |
| Status | Not on the ballot |
| Not on Ballot |
|---|
 |
| This measure was not put on an election ballot |
The Wine and Beer Amendment, State Question 783 was a constitutional amendment proposed for the Oklahoma ballot on November 8, 2016.
The measure would have allowed the retail sale of wine and beer of not more than 8.99% alcohol in grocery stores.[1]
The sponsors of the measure withdrew the petition.[1]
Text of measure
Constitutional changes
The measure would have repealed and replaced Article 2B of the Oklahoma Constitution.[1]
Full text
The full text of the measure can be found here.
Support
Supporters
- Oklahomans for Modern Laws[2]
Arguments in favor
Rankin Barger, manager of the Liquor Stache in Ada, Oklahoma, said that he thought the current laws were "a bit out of date. ... A bit archaic in my mind."[3]
Opposition
Opponents
Arguments against
Bryan Kerr, president of the Oklahoma Retail Liquor Association, said that the initiative would have placed current package stores at a disadvantage because of the new competition from grocery and convenience stores.[2]
Legal challenge
The Oklahoma Retail Liquor Association filed a challenge to the petition on February 19, 2016, arguing that the ballot question violated the single-subject rule that is outlined in the state constitution. This rule prevents addressing more than one subject in a single ballot measure.[2]
The Institute for Responsible Alcohol Policy filed a challenge on February 22, 2016. John Maisch, president of the organization, said,[2]
| “ | [I]t not only allows brewers to circumvent important safeguards requiring beer to be distributed by independent, Oklahoma wholesalers, but it also prohibits our elected leaders from passing future legislation to curtail this potentially harmful practice. ... The public is best served when state legislators enact laws that ensure a strong, vibrant three-tier system intended to prevent large suppliers from exerting unhealthy influence over the distribution and retail tiers. ... When those tiers are allowed to collapse, it can threaten the independence of one or both tiers.[4] | ” |
Path to the ballot
The measure was filed with the Oklahoma Secretary of State on February 3, 2016. According to Oklahoma law, after a petition is approved, supporters have 90 days to collect the required number of valid signatures. Petitioners for State Question 783 needed to collect 123,725 valid signatures by late May 2016, provided no official complaints complicated the process of approving the initiative for circulation.[1]
The sponsors withdrew the petition in early March 2016.[1]
State profile
| Demographic data for Oklahoma | ||
|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 3,907,414 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 68,595 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 73.1% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 7.2% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 1.9% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 7.3% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 7.8% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 9.6% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 86.9% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 24.1% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $46,879 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 19.7% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Oklahoma. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
- See also: Presidential voting trends in Oklahoma
Oklahoma voted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
More Oklahoma coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in Oklahoma
- United States congressional delegations from Oklahoma
- Public policy in Oklahoma
- Endorsers in Oklahoma
- Oklahoma fact checks
- More...
See also
- Oklahoma 2016 ballot measures
- 2016 ballot measures
- Oklahoma Legislature
- List of Oklahoma ballot measures
- Oklahoma Secretary of State, "State Questions"
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Oklahoma Secretary of State, "State Questions," accessed February 8, 2016
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 News OK, "Liquor store owners, distributors fight proposed Oklahoma ballot question," February 22, 2016
- ↑ KXII, "Group working to get higher alcohol content drinks available in more OK stores," February 16, 2016
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
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