(CommercilAppeal) - After a sharp debate that included references to Jesus Christ and charges of protectionism, the state House gave final legislative approval Monday night to a bill designed to ensure that food stores can start selling wine on July 1.

The bill fixes a provision in the 2014 Wine in Grocery Stores (WIGS) Act to let the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission issue provisional licenses to the food stores and permit wholesalers to start delivering wine to those food stores, both prior to July 1. The ABC had interpreted the 2014 act to prohibit licensing and shipments prior to the July 1 date that the bill set for food store wine sales to begin.

Supporters said that without the new bill, wine sales would likely be delayed for weeks, possibly months.

The Senate approved the bill 21-6 on Feb. 29 and the House followed suit Monday night on a 72-16 vote, sending it to Gov. Bill Haslam, who's expected to sign it into law soon.

But the bill also imposes a two-store limit on the number of retail liquor stores that a person or company can own — the provision that was most contentious and set off the debate.