Political observers say home-court advantage by locally-owned package stores may be the reason why they have been so successful in blocking attempts to lift Indiana's ban on Sunday retail alcohol sales and to allow grocery, drug and convenience stores to sell cold beer. The General Assembly has consistently rejected efforts to change those laws and a U.S. District Judge, last month, ruled Indiana has the right to decide who can sell cold beer. The director of the Mike Downs Center for Indiana Politics says the debate over alcohol sales often breaks down by legislative district rather than party lines.
