You would be able to carry alcoholic beverages around the St. Louis Lambert and Kansas City International Airports, under legislation that’s been approved by the Missouri House.
The Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson CityÂ
The bill would allow travelers at Lambert and KCI to purchase alcohol at airport retail establishments, and then carry it into other designated areas.
The Missouri House has approved State Rep. Noel Shull’s (R-Kansas City) bill on a bipartisan 138-16 vote.
Shull testified last week before the Senate Economic Development Committee.
“Some of the airports that have already adopted this is New Orleans, Nashville, Denver, San Antonio and believe it or not they’re doing it in Las Vegas too,” Shull says.
Shull tells state senators that there have not been problems at those airports.
While the Senate Economic Development Committee has not voted on the bill yet, committee chairman State Sen. Jay Wasson (R-Nixa) told colleagues it “sounds like an excellent bill.” Wasson asked Representative Shull about House bill 115 during last week’s hearing.
“So they’re (passengers) taking it (alcohol) from the airport bar and they’re probably dropping it into the trash can before they get on the airplane, but they’re just carrying it from point A to point B, right?” Wasson asked Shull.
“That’s right, they cannot take it on the planes. They cannot take it inside the secured areas,” Shull responds.
St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch supports the bill. Anheuser-Busch representative Jennifer Durham testified before Senator Wasson’s committee.
“We don’t want our beer drinkers to have to chug it down,” Durham testifies. “We want them to savor it and sip it as they’re walking to their boarding (areas).”
There was no testimony against the bill during the Senate hearing.
The Shull bill would require the airport retail establishments to serve alcoholic beverages in containers displaying the retailer’s name or logo. Shull notes the Missouri House has approved the bill in previous years.
