Alcohol delivery and Sunday liquor sales in South Carolina would hurt “mom and pop” liquor stores, some critics say. In response, under a proposal, lawmakers removed a hefty fee needed to sell on Sundays for small retailers.

In a renewed push to expand access to alcohol beverages, two proposals — H. 4231 and H. 4364 — sailed through a House Judiciary panel Tuesday, paving the way for consumers to purchase alcohol, beer and wine via curbside pickup or home delivery, including on Sunday, and for micro distilleries to sell alcohol on its premises on Sundays.

Critics have argued the measures would unfairly require small liquor stores to compete with major corporations, such as Diageo.

“Are we gonna be held hostage by four (Diageo) lobbyists, $14 billion in special interest, coming in here and taking our moms and pops out and taking our small business out of South Carolina?,” said state Rep. John McCravy, R-Greenwood, who opposes the bill. “We need to take a stand for the moms and pops that testified in the subcommittee and take a stand for the values that we have here in South Carolina.”

McCravy also said that “moms and pops” oppose the bill because “they’re going to lose money, having to open on Sunday.”

Neither measure, however, requires any store to open on Sunday.

It’s “the retailers’ choice,” said state Rep. Jason Elliott, R-Greenville. “If it makes economic sense for them do it, I suppose they would, and if it didn’t, I suppose they wouldn’t.”

Retailers who decide to sell alcohol on Sundays would be required to obtain a license from the South Carolina Department of Revenue before offering curbside or home delivery, which would be conducted through a third-party, such as DoorDash. The application fee is $100 and the license would cost establishments $3,000 a year.

To aid “mom and pops”, state Rep. Chris Wooten, R-Lexington, offered an accommodation that would except them from the $3,000 annual license fee if they operate a single store.

Under H. 4231 micro distilleries, such as Burnt Church and Hallow Creek of S.C., could sell alcohol sales at retail on Sundays. The bill would also create an option for local governing bodies to permit liquor sales on Sundays. While certain restaurants, bars and distilleries may currently sell patrons liquor on Sundays by the drink, they’re prohibited from buying bottles.

Amendments to H. 4231 approved Tuesday would allow voters in each county to decide via referendum whether they’d like to have their booze delivered to their homes or the curbside of a retailer. The referendum would require either a petition by local citizens — with no fewer than 7,500 residents signing on — or a vote to allow the referendum by county or city councils.

“I am in support of this, mainly because it gives it back to the citizens of my area, an opportunity to decide what they want to do,” said state Rep. John King, D-York. “If they decide they want to have Sunday sales, they have that opportunity to do it.”

Another amendment lawmakers signed off of would limit the sale of alcoholic beverages on Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m.

McCravy said he doesn’t see a need.

“Do we have a crisis of people not being able to get things on Sunday?” McCravy said. “I mean, I haven’t heard a single constituent tell me that. Maybe in some areas there is a crisis, but I don’t know. But I just can’t figure out what the need is and why is this so necessary.”

Under H. 4364, South Carolinians could get same-day delivery of beer, liquor and wine from the same companies that deliver groceries, such as DoorDash, including Sundays. The bill would also allow curbside pick up of alcohol, which would have to be sealed at room temperature.

Delivery can only take place during times when alcohol is available for sale in the store. Customers must live within the same zip code as the retail establishment their receiving the delivery from, or live in a zip code that’s contiguous to the establishment.

Currently, liquor sales in South Carolina are prohibited after 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, on Sundays and Christmas Day. The state is only one of four that bans liquor sales on Sunday, along with North Carolina, Texas and Utah.