How Blue Laws Continue to Have a Negative Impact on the State of Georgia

The state of Georgia continues to struggle economically. Although there are many factors that have contributed to this economic meltdown, yet there is one in particular that has hurt Georgia for years. The factor that I am referring to is Blue Laws. According to the Georgia legislature these laws where created initially to protect the Sabbath day, which is mostly recognized by many as Sunday. These laws prohibited the sale of alcohol in stores, restaurants, and bars on Sunday.

As a result of blue laws Georgia continues to be crippled economically. It is bad enough that most stores still don't open until after 12 o'clock and close no later than 6 o'clock p.m. on Sundays. The blue laws are outdated and have caused Georgia to be viewed by many as an old South Bible belt state that does not want economic growth. Now there are some cities in the state of Georgia that have implemented ordinances that allow businesses to serve alcohol on Sundays as long as it is not their primary source of sales on that day. This simply means that if places like sports bars sell food they are permitted to also serve alcohol. It is strange that the Georgia gubernatorial race is coming up in less than 3 months and neither of the candidates have the possible elimination of blue laws in their agenda. Permitting alcohol sales on Sunday could allow Georgia to see an increase in revenue. I personally think that not allowing alcohol to be sold on Sundays is a conflict of interest considering the fact that people are able to play the Georgia lottery, which is a form of gambling. I lived in the state of Mississippi years and you it doesn't get any older south than that. One thing that was good about living there was that you could buy alcohol seven days a week.

Georgia needs to eliminate the blue laws! Allowing alcohol to be sold on Sundays would help generate much needed revenue for the state. Lawmakers must be willing to change in order to help the state of Georgia prosper economically. If not Georgia along with Connecticut and Indiana will suffer at the hands of blue laws.