In this case, the town is asking that the Village Market, 151 State Road, be allowed to sell beer and wine.
WESTPORT – Vinho verde is one step closer to the shelves at the Village Market.
A bill to allow beer and wine sales at the store is going back before a senate subcommittee this month.
“This is working its way through the process,” said Sen. Michael Rodrigues, the sponsor of the bill. “We had a public hearing on it and it went well.
“This will be back before the committee this week to consider it.”
Bills like this have a 30-day window to get through committee and onto the floor, Rodrigues said. It is common for bills to take longer than that, and so they have to be submitted a second time.
“It’s such a small window, you often have to take an additional step to get it through the committee,” he said.
Voters at town meeting approved a measure, asking for a home rule petition to allow an additional liquor license.
Liquor licenses are limited by law, but cities and towns can ask the Senate to allow more licenses to be issued.
In this case, the town is asking that the Village Market, 151 State Road, be allowed to sell beer and wine. The market opened in October in the Watuppa Plaza on Route 6.
“It is a nice market,” Rodrigues said. “It is a small Portuguese grocery store, like a mini Portugalia.”
The bill has been recommitted for consideration to the Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure, Rodrigues said.
No date has been set for a vote on the matter.
Email Kevin P. O’Connor at koconnor@heraldnews.com.