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Bye Bye, Arizona Blue Laws!

But on Sunday, August 1, I'm tempted to drag myself out of bed and hit the nearest bar at 6 a.m. for the first Bloody Mary of a whole new era...

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But on Sunday, August 1, I'm tempted to drag myself out of bed and hit the nearest bar at 6 a.m. for the first Bloody Mary of a whole new era.

You see, that's the day when Arizona's Sunday blue law kicks the bucket.

Currently, you can't buy alcohol until 10 a.m. on Sundays, which means that brunch doesn't get started until that time at many restaurants, you can't stock up on beer for your poolside barbecue when you make an early morning grocery run, and you're deprived of hair-of-the-dog if you haven't planned ahead.

The law is a remnant of more puritanical times when drinking mimosas on a beautiful Arizona morning was apparently considered morally questionable.

Nowadays, though, state legislators are down with the idea that ditching the restrictions will be convenient for consumers, good for businesses, and ultimately, a sweet new infusion of tax revenue. Hence, the amendment to allow Sunday alcohol sales to start at the same time as every other day of the week, 6 a.m.