LANSING (AP) -- More businesses are getting special permits to sell liquor on Sunday mornings.
State officials say that nearly 6,000 businesses statewide have received a special permit to allow more Sunday morning liquor sales since a ban was lifted late last year.
Alcohol sales previously had been prohibited between 2 a.m. and noon on Sundays, but lawmakers changed that rule to allow sales starting at 7 a.m. Businesses pay an extra $160 annual fee to start sales early.
The Liquor Control Commission says the state has received about $950,000 in revenue as a result of the change. The state has nearly 16,000 active liquor licenses.
Communities may opt out of Sunday alcohol sales for just the morning or all day, depending on their preference.
The MLCC just released its September 2011 Licensing and Enforcement Division statistics.
"Licensing transactions are up 93 percent compared to this time last year and we have issued 255 more licenses this month than last," said Andy Deloney, MLCC Chairman. "We have thrown a lot of changes to the Licensing Division over the past couple of months and these numbers show me that they are just as serious about the change as I am."
(Copyright ©2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
