OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce (GOCCC) has made changing the state??s liquor laws and allowing grocery stores to sell alcohol a top priority, NewsOK.com reports.

The move would bring more retailers to the state, the GOCCC said, including Costco, which confirmed it would open six to 10 stores in the state by 2014 if the state??s liquor laws are changed.

The chamber is planning to draft legislation and get it on the ballot in November 2012, allowing voters to decide the issue.

Still to be decided: issues such as whether to include wine and strong beer or just wine, which stores would be subject to the new law (grocery and convenience stores or just grocery stores), as well as implications on 80 existing statutes, including those that address selling alcohol on Sundays and the availability of cold beer.

According to Mark VanLandingham, vice president of government relations and policy at the chamber, reforming state law would have tremendous economic benefit for Oklahoma, encouraging new retailers to locate in the state, which would create jobs and increase sales tax revenue. "Our liquor laws are keeping companies such as Costco from entering the state," he said.

Opponents maintain the issue is one of public health and safety risk, because increased access to alcohol creates an environment for abuse and error.

"In grocery stores, sometimes the clerk is 16. And we're going to expect underage people to not sell to underage people?" asked said Brett Robinson, president of Beer Distributors of Oklahoma.

A 20-member task force is being formed to study the issue. It will present its findings by February 1, 2012. Alternatively, the chamber may decide to focus efforts on an initiative petition, which would bypass the task force altogether. Officials are expected to make a decision within the next month.

Oklahoma is one of 16 states that do not allow wine to be sold in grocery stores. The state has 685 grocery stores and 1,600 convenience stores.