Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter issued an opinion Tuesday that could affect who can obtain licenses to sell alcohol in the state.
The residency requirements for obtaining a Retail Spirits License, or a Wine and Spirits Wholesaler’s License in Oklahoma, are likely to be found in violation of the Commerce Clause in the U.S. Constitution, the opinion states.
Oklahoma currently has a five-year residency requirement for those seeking to obtain a license to sell wine and spirits at the retail or wholesale level. In other words, a liquor store owner has to prove he or she has been a resident for five years prior to applying for the retail license.