California Lawmakers Reject Measure Keeping Bars Open To 4 A.M. In Certain Cities

By Madison Hirneisen | The Center Square, The Center Square California

August 26, 2022

(The Center Square) – California lawmakers rejected a measure that would have allowed bars in certain cities to extend their operating hours until 4 a.m.

Lawmakers in the State Assembly on both sides of the aisle voted Wednesday to reject Senate Bill 930, which would have authorized West Hollywood, Palm Springs and the city and county of San Francisco to allow bars, nightclubs and restaurants to operate until 3 a.m. on weekdays and 4 a.m. on weekends. The bill would have spurred a three-year pilot program in the cities starting in January 2025. Under current law, establishments can sell alcohol until 2 a.m.

“SB 930 is a local control bill that lets cities decide what nightlife works best for their communities and small businesses,” Senator Scott Wiener and Assemblymember Matt Haney, democratic lawmakers from San Francisco, said in a joint statement. “We are assessing whether there is a path to pass the bill off the Assembly floor.”

The bill was met with opposition from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers Wednesday, many raising concerns about the potential for more drunk drivers on the road in the early morning hours.

“Extending these hours of service for people to become impaired, mixed with the fatigue factor that also is an extreme threat to public safety, is asking for death,” Assemblyman Tom Lackey, R-Palmdale, who was a former California Highway Patrol Officer, said. “I promise you that there will be death, needless death, if we pass this bill.”

Assemblymember Jim Cooper, D-Elk Grove, who was also a CHP chief, expressed concern about the significant shortage of patrol officers who would be enforcing the bill. Cooper told lawmakers that CHP currently is down “about 1,000 positions” and Alcoholic Beverage Control “is down 20% of their staffing.”

In Palm Springs, Cooper said there are four agents to oversee 440 liquor licenses, meaning each agent would be responsible for 110 locations each.

Wiener and Haney called the speeches by lawmakers in opposition “misleading” in their joint statement. During floor testimony, Haney cited statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration showing “there is no correlation between states with later closing times and higher rates of drunk driving.”

“We need to reexamine our one-size-fits all, top-down approach to nightlife in our state. It restricts business, it harms economic activity and it is not appropriate for this top down approach with the diversity of needs of local communities,” Haney said in support of the bill Wednesday. “Local Control will help speed up the recovery from the pandemic, keep our tourism industry competitive, support our vibrant nightlife culture and give our communities the flexibility they need.”

The bill failed to pass in a 31-25 vote, but Haney was granted reconsideration, meaning lawmakers could vote again on the measure.

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