The only thing standing between thirsty New Yorkers and a Sunday morning bloody mary or mimosa is an upstate killjoy who is making a last-ditch effort to stop a bill allowing Sunday alcohol sales before noon.
Assemblyman Robin Schimminger, chairman of the Economic Development Committee, said the legislation that would allow bars, restaurants and sporting venues to sell alcoholic beverages starting at 8 a.m. is too drastic a step to take all at once.
“The issue of relaxing current New York state law that prohibits the sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on premise before 12 noon on Sunday is not an issue I have taken lightly,” Schimminger told The Post Friday.
“It is my responsibility to the citizens of the state to review alcohol issues with an eye toward moderation. The idea of lowering the start time to 8 a.m. on Sunday mornings is too big of a jump at this time.”
But Schimminger is likely fighting a lost cause, according to the bill’s supporters, including the two assemblymen who co-sponsored the legislation, which was first proposed by Gov. Cuomo last month.
Assemblyman Mike Benedetto (D-Bronx), one of the bills sponsors, said the bill would likely go through.
“There is a bill on the calendar. I think this has widespread support. I’m optimistic,” Benedetto said of the legislation, which would require businesses that serve alcohol to pay an extra fee if they wanted to start selling at the earlier hour.
The bill’s other sponsor, Assemblyman Richard Gottfried (D-Manhattan) added, “I always opposed Sunday closing laws.
“I don’t think the government should be making a distinction between Sunday and other days of the week.”
The bill has strong support in the state Senate.
A rep for Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D-Bronx) said the issue was being studied.
But the law could be modified somewhat to mollify critics who feel that 8 a.m. is too early to tie one on.
Schimminger said he could support an 11 a.m. start time, and other amendments being floated could change the time to either 9 or 10 a.m.
“It is my considered view that an incremental relaxing of the restriction on Sunday sales of alcohol to 11 a.m. allows for the state to ascertain if there are any ill effects to allowing the availability of alcohol at an earlier time on Sundays,” said Schimminger, a Democrat whose district covers the Buffalo region.
Cuomo last month proposed sweeping away the last of the state’s so-called Blue Laws governing alcohol sales — including the Sunday ban, which was enacted in 1934.