NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The House has voted to keep a county referendum option in place for whether voters want to allow distilleries to be located in their communities.

The bill sponsored by Republican Rep. Joe Carr of Lascassas passed on a 67-27 vote on Wednesday. It originally sought to automatically allow distilleries in any county that had previously approved liquor sales.

The measure was amended by Democratic House Judiciary Chairman Kent Coleman of Murfreesboro to allow county governments to call for a specific referendum on distilleries. But it would drop the need for 10 percent of qualified voters to sign a petition to call for a vote.

The companion bill that passed the Senate on a 19-5 vote earlier this month does not include the referendum option.

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Read SB1955 at http://www.capitol.tn.gov

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