Liquor is not sold in any Wal-Mart store in Texas, but the retailer is suing the State of Texas in an effort to sell liquor. On February 12, Wal-Mart filed a lawsuit in an Austin federal court challenging a Texas law that forbids the company from owning and operating liquor stores in the state. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission along with its presiding officer and other officials are named defendants in the civil suit.
The lawsuit claims the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission statutes prevent Wal-Mart from obtaining a permit to sell liquor because it is a publicly traded corporation. Wal-Mart, which holds licenses to sell beer and wine at 546 locations in Texas, is also challenging a provision of the law that would prevent the company from owning more than five liquor stores if the company did become eligible for a liquor license.
