DENVER - The House this morning gave final approval to a bill that would allow Sunday liquor sales to begin July 1.

The bill has a couple of more steps before it lands on the desk of Gov. Bill Ritter, who is expected to sign it.

Because the House and Senate bills had different dates for the sales to begin, the Senate must amend its bill to move the date up from Nov. 1 to July 1.

The measure was debated on the House floor Monday and approved on a voice vote. Today, it was approved on a roll call vote, 42-20, with a lot of party line crossing.

House leadership said it was a coincidence that the bill was debated on St. Patrick's Day, a day known for carousing, but lawmakers joked about the appropriateness. They also testified to their desire to enact the bill quickly.

The bill's prime sponsor, Sen. Jennifer Veiga, D-Denver, initially asked that it take effect Nov. 1, but House sponsor Rep. Cheri Jahn, D-Wheat Ridge, moved the date forward so it would be in effect for the July Fourth weekend.

The move was opposed by Rep. Douglas Bruce, R-Colorado Springs, who asked what emergency would merit changing the date. Lawmakers quickly rejected his proposal to change the effective date back to Nov. 1.

The bill was opposed by some owners of small liquor stores, who said Sundays are the only days they can take off.

Sunday liquor sales have been banned in Colorado since Prohibition ended in 1933.