DENVER (KDVR) — On Thursday, Gov. Jared Polis signed into law a measure called "Prohibit New Liquor-Licensed Drug Stores," the latest upset in Colorado's changing liquor laws. The new measure will prevent local and state authorities from issuing new "liquor-licensed drugstore licenses." Accordi ng to the city and county of Denver's website, these licenses are provided to businesses to sell beer, wine and liquor in sealed containers for off-premise consumption, among some other restrictions. Related coverage: To-go cocktails now permanent under Colorado law In March 2023, Colorado's grocery stores were allowed to sell wine after Coloradans voted in favor of a ballot measure expanding grocery liquor licenses. That measure is built on another measure approved by lawmakers in 2016 that allowed grocery and convenience stores to sell full-strength beer. The new law will go into effect on Wednesday, Aug. 6, which is 91 days after the general assembly adjourns. It won't impact grocery stores with pharmacies that already sell hard liquor or wine but will prevent new grocery store locations from receiving such a license. Allowing grocery stores to sell wine, liquor and full-strength beer has been a sticking point with Colorado's alcohol industry. Since 2023, wine and liquor store owners have noted declining sales because of the convenience for shoppers to pick up their libations at the grocery store. Thirty-six grocery or convenience stores in Colorado have licenses to sell hard liquor, and the measure signed by Polis on Thursday would make that cap permanent. The measure earned overwhelming support in the House and Senate: In the House, 55 representatives voted in favor, with just eight voting against it and in the Senate, 28 voted in favor with five voting against the measure. However, Polis seemed unsure that making the bill a law was the best course of action. He relayed his concerns about the measure in a signing statement provided to the Senate after he signed the bill. "I believe this legislation could take Colorado in the wrong direction and I would have preferred an approach that did not eliminate an entire liquor license type going forward, or limit consumer choice and market access," Polis wrote. "However, given the overwhelming support of the bill from members of the General Assembly and small business entities, today I signed Senate Bill 25-033 into law. I look forward to collaborating further with the General Assembly to modernize our liquor laws, and appreciate their passion for this topic." Coloradans For Consumer Choice Coalition has been vocally against the bill and said its members were "disappointed" in Polis for signing the measure "when the current system balances consumer choice, business sustainability, and safety," according to a statement by Ray Rivera, executive director of the coalition. Governor signs bill requiring training for semiautomatic guns, banning rapid-fire conversion devices Polis seemed to voice similar concerns in his signing statement. "While the pro free market and pro-consumer evolution over recent years might have been a burden on small, independently run liquor stores, a permanent freeze on the LLDS license type puts the state government in the position of picking winners and losers in an anticompetitive manner that prioritizes existing businesses and deprioritizes Colorado consumers," Polis wrote. "To that end, I hope both sides are willing to work together to find a more lasting compromise putting the consumer first." ...read more read less