State Rep. Paul McMurtry brought the House to a standstill yesterday, hoping to pressure fellow legislators to act on Westwood's petition to obtain a beer and wine license for Wegmans supermarket.
After the House and Senate gave initial approval to the petition, which would allow the grocery store chain to sell beer and wine at its proposed Westwood Station store, the two chambers seemed ready to send it to the governor's desk without incident.
But state Rep. Angelo Scaccia, D-Readville, has prevented the House from enacting the legislation by signaling that he would vote against it and convincing some of his colleagues to oppose the petition should it come up for a vote when he is absent, said McMurtry, the Dedham Democrat whose district includes Westwood.
With the Legislature in informal sessions until January, during which a bill needs unanimous support to advance, Wegmans' license bid is in limbo until Scaccia gets on board.
Scaccia did not return calls for comment to explain why he opposes the petition, but McMurtry believes it is because he is acting on behalf of Wegmans' competitors.
"There are some concerns that some other establishments in Westwood will be negatively impacted, and they want to make sure that those are addressed," McMurtry said, citing Roche Bros. Supermarkets.
Yesterday, McMurtry pushed back by doubting the presence of a quorum, a move that forces the House to adjourn if there are less than 81 of 160 lawmakers present.
During informal sessions there are rarely more than a handful of lawmakers present and the Legislature uses the time to pass uncontroversial bills and minor legislation.
McMurtry said he will continue to halt House proceedings until the issue is resolved.
"It's unfortunately the only way that I can emphasize the significance of this bill," he said. "I will be here for every informal session and I will do everything within my elected ability to see that democracy is heard."
Westwood selectmen have repeatedly signaled their willingness to work with Roche Bros. and other local grocers to obtain additional alcohol licenses, but Roche Bros. already has three licenses, the maximum allowed by the state, which it uses at stores elsewhere in Massachusetts.
Owner Rick Roche has opposed the home rule petition for Wegmans, but has said he is unsure whether he would want to give up one of his liquor licenses to gain a permit to sell beer and wine at his Westwood store.
"It's a crazy process in my opinion. ... I don't want to have the additional costs of lobbying the Legislature," he told the Daily News earlier this month. "That way is too complicated and expensive in my mind."
Roche Bros. has retained attorney Maryanne Lewis, a former Dedham lawmaker who served in the House with Scaccia, to lobby the state on the company's behalf, according to Secretary of State William Galvin's office.
Neither Lewis nor Roche returned calls for comment.
"I can't say that I'm frustrated with the opposition because the fact that they're able to participate in the process is a good thing," McMurtry said.
Daily News staff writer Lindsey Parietti can be reached at lindsey.parietti@cnc.com.
