When Indiana lawmakers passed a law prohibiting Sunday liquor sales, they were acknowledging the widely held sentiment that the day should be reserved for worship. But times change, along with public opinion. And restrictions can become outdated and even contrary to good public policy.

That’s why the campaign by Hoosiers for Beverage Choices deserves some attention from consumers and lawmakers.

Granted, the organization’s goal isn’t to clear outdated laws from the books. The campaign is underwritten by trade associations whose members would benefit from Sunday beverage sales and the right to sell cold beer: the Indiana Petroleum Council, the Indiana Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association and the Indiana Retail Council. Representing supermarkets, drugstores and convenience stores, they are interested in expanding their market share.

But all legislation is intended to benefit someone, or it would never be introduced. On the other side of the debate are owners of package liquor stores. They oppose Sunday sales because it would require them to expand their hours. Lifting the restrictions on cold beer sales would strip away the competitive advantage they’ve long enjoyed.

Legislative leaders wisely declared a moratorium on contentious alcoholic beverage bills in the last session. It would have been another distraction in a session that went too long even without gambling and alcohol debates.

Now is the best time to reopen the debate over the prohibition of Sunday alcohol sales. A two-year interim study committee looked at the issue last year and is expected to revisit the topic this year. Grant Monahan, president of the Indiana Retail Council, said Hoosiers for Beverage Choices has collected about 30,000 signatures in its online petition drive. Representatives of the organization are beginning to meet individually with legislators to urge them to support the changes.

There are sound policy reasons to make the changes. Indiana’ s odd approach to regulation means Hoosiers can’t pick up a six-pack of beer on a Sunday and drive home to drink it while watching the Colts play, but they can drive to a bar or restaurant, drink while watching the game, and then drive home.

It also sends Hoosiers out of state to buy alcohol. A 2-year-old study by the Distilled Spirits Council, adjusted to reflect the increase in the sales tax rate, suggests that $9 million a year is lost to Ohio, Illinois and Michigan, which are among the 35 states that allow Sunday alcohol sales. Indiana is the only state that restricts cold beer sales to package stores.

Monahan said the trade associations are also proposing to increase fees they pay as retailers to raise another $2 million for the state.

“We’ll suggest retailers who want to sell on Sunday should pay more for a permit fee,” he said. “We suggest doubling permit fees on those entities.”

The additional revenue would be attractive, but the need to address the disconnect between allowing on-premises consumption on Sundays and prohibiting sales for consumption at home is an even more compelling reason to re-examine one of the last remaining blue laws on the books.