GREENFIELD — Former state senator Beverly Gard has been informed she will no longer be serving as chair of the Indiana Alcohol Code Revision Committee.
House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, has replaced Gard, who served as chair in 2017, with former state representative Bill Davis. The committee was set up during the 2017 legislative session to examine Indiana’s alcohol laws for two years. The committee’s work under Gard led to Indiana allowing the sale of alcohol on Sundays.
Chairs of study committees are appointed by the president of the legislative council, which alternates on a yearly basis between the president pro tem and the speaker of the House. This year, it was Bosma’s turn to appoint chairs and he decided to replace Gard.
“He said he was appointing another chairman,” Gard said. “He wanted someone with a background in dealing with alcohol issues and it is certainly his prerogative to appoint whoever he wants.”
Davis served almost 10 years in the Indiana House, including a stint as chairman of the House Public Policy Committee from 2011-13. Bills dealing with alcohol are generally assigned to that committee.
“Bill has always demonstrated strong leadership skills, integrity and the right temperament when handed tough issues,” Bosma said in a statement. “His strong background will help him lead the commission as they focus on improving Indiana’s alcohol licensing laws and evaluating the impacts of over-consumption.”
The appointment is a significant shift in the direction of the commission, Gard said. When she was assigned as chair, both Sen. David Long, R-Fort Wayne, and Bosma told her she was appointed because she didn’t have a history in dealing with alcohol issues during her political career.
“They both told me they wanted a neutral person to deal with these issues,” Gard said. “This seems to be a 180-degree change in direction.”
After dealing with Sunday sales last summer, the committee is charged with examining ways to reduce complexity in Indiana’s alcohol licensing system, evaluating the way alcohol licenses are awarded and studying the impact over-consumption at retail outlets has on DUI rates and public safety.
One of the items likely to be discussed during the licensing hearings is the sale of cold beer. Currently, cold beer sales are prohibited outside of liquor stores. Grocery stores and convenience stores, like gas stations, can sell beer but it is not allowed to be cold. The complexity of this rule was brought into light a couple years ago when Ricker’s Convenience stores started selling cold beer under their restaurant license. The General Assembly quickly closed that loophole but vowed to look more closely at the issue.
