Senate debates dumping minibottles

The Senate is talking about doing away with minibottles again.

South Carolina is the only state requiring bars and restaurants to use the 1.7-ounce bottles, and legislators have tried for years to move to pouring drinks from regular-size bottles.

Senate floor debate began briefly Wednesday on the minibottle bill and continued Thursday.

Sen. Wes Hayes, R-Rock Hill, assured senators that the change would not cost the state tax revenue now collected at the wholesale level. Under the bill, a cocktail tax would be added to each poured drink.

The legislation does not outlaw minibottles. Restaurants and bars could continue using them if they chose to do so, Hayes said.

More Headlines