There are two laws I can think of off the top of my head that have made news headlines recently for their effects on convenience store retailing, despite the fact that subject of those news stories -- the laws themselves -- are decades old.
Earlier this week, Maryland counties were encouraged by state Comptroller Peter Franchot's team to enforce a law some have called "archaic" that enforces a soda fountain license fee. The fee is anywhere from $25 to $60, but has not been used in years, and will allow fees to be collected from all restaurants, convenience stores and other places where soft drink dispensers are found.
And earlier this year, a federal judge declared unconstitutional Wisconsin's 70-year old law minimum markup on gas. With the ruling, gas retailing experts predicted lower prices on fuel would follow, along with increased competition.
Why has taken so long for these laws to come into the public's eye? In Maryland's case, it is the increasingly frequent instance of a budget shortfall, which is causing lawmakers to look to new places to find funds. At least the lawmakers haven't proposed a hike in the state's excise tax on tobacco products -- knock on wood -- like the slew of other U.S. states doing just that.
Is there an antique law in your state that has crimped your convenience retailing business? Let us know about it!
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