St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News) - Minnesota has become the only state in the country still selling 3.2 beer.

Utah - known as a state with very restrictive alcohol laws - officially ended its requirements for the lower alcohol beer Friday.

Minnesota restricts alcohol sales in grocery and convenience stores to only 3.2-percent alcohol beer.

At least one Minnesota lawmaker wants to get rid of that law. Senator Karin Housley will push for changes in the state’s alcohol laws during the 2020 legislative session.

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“It won’t be long before the market demands we bring our laws in line with the rest of the nation. Next session, I will again aggressively pursue legislation to modernize our state’s antiquated liquor laws. I have already introduced several bills, including a bill to allow supermarkets and convenience stores to sell beer and wine, a constitutional amendment to let Minnesotans weigh in, and legislation to ‘Save the Growler’.

Minnesota’s current restrictive laws are far different from Wisconsin where beer and liquor can be sold in grocery and convenience stores.

Housley says it’s time for a change:

“It’s 2019, but Minnesota’s liquor laws still reflect the era of Prohibition. Now, we’re the lone remaining state to mandate that grocery stores and convenience stores can only sell 3.2 percent beer. As national production has zeroed out, brewers have largely decided it’s no longer profitable to sell 3.2-percent beer, making the product difficult – if not impossible – for businesses to carry. That’s a problem, but instead of working toward a compromise that could benefit the consumer, our unique system has made it virtually impossible to make any meaningful changes to the law.”

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