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RALEIGH – State lawmakers met to discuss a possible overhaul of North Carolina's system for regulating and selling alcohol Tuesday.

A joint study commission on the ABC system focused on a program evaluation report detailing how the process works and how it can be improved. The ABC system recently came under review due to evidence of questionable activities by local boards and rising concern over the monopoly the state-run system has on the sale of liquor.

"Based on our findings North Carolina's Alcohol Beverage Control system is outdated and needs modernization," Carol Shaw, the principal program evaluator, said.

The program evaluation commission recommended implementing statutory changes to improve the effectiveness of the ABC system.

Some of those changes include defining the mission of local boards, providing better oversight, modifying outdated statutes and reviewing the potential benefits of the privatization of the sale of alcohol.

"Changing the system would mean local boards could no longer own and operate ABC stores," Shaw told the commission.

The results of the evaluation have many divided.

"The emphasis, I fear, will move more from control to profit and that will, I believe, endanger the public's health," the Rev. Mark Creech, of the Christian Action League of North Carolina, said.

"The residents in North Carolina are best served by whatever changes we make," Ed Cook, the director of wine and beer sales at Harris Teeter, said.

The board has been called to review those arguments and perspectives from the public before making their recommendations to the full legislature in May.

"I expect many of them to come and speak before our committee and make us aware of the problems it would create if we privatized," Ray Warren, co-chair of the commission, said.

The commission is taking public comments on the issue at the Legislative Office Building March 24 at 2 p.m.