This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The Utah Legislature is one floor vote away from allowing the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control hold on to some of its ever-growing revenue.

SB155 already cleared the Senate without an opposing vote, and on Friday was unanimously approved for House debate by the House Business and Labor Committee.

Current law requires DABC to return all of its annual profits to the state, with the liquor agency's operating budget set each year by the Legislature.

But SB155, sponsored by Sen. Karen Mayne, D-West Valley City, would allow DABC to retain $1 million for employee incentives, capital and equipment purchases and technology upgrades.

"This allows us to be a little more nimble and address things that are really critical for the department," DABC executive director Sal Petilos said.

Between July 2015 and June 2016, sales at Utah's state-owned liquor stores brought in a record $405.9 million, excluding taxes, an 7.8 percent increase from the previous fiscal year.

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