Year after year, California lawmakers have rejected proposals to allow bars, restaurants and nightclubs to sell alcohol to customers after 2 a.m.
Supporters of relaxing the state’s late-shift laws have tried nearly every possible version. First, they proposed extending the late shift to 4 a.m., but only in cities that allowed later service. Then they limited the proposal to 10 cities for five years. Then to seven cities. Then to three cities, with service until 4 a.m. on weekends. This year, Assemblyman Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) withdrew his bill to allow licensed establishments to apply for permission to sell alcohol until 4 a.m. on weekends before the first hearing.
But staunch opposition faded over a proposal to extend the final ban to a select group of drinkers: VIP box holders at the new Intuit Dome stadium in Inglewood.
Last week, the Senate quietly passed Assembly Bill 3206, which would allow alcohol to be served until 4 a.m. to dues-paying members of private suites and their guests inside the new $2 billion indoor arena, which is home to the Los Angeles Clippers and will also host concerts and other events. The suites have a maximum capacity of 100 people.
The bill was sponsored by Murphy's Bowl, which developed the stadium and is owned by Steve Ballmer, the former Microsoft CEO and owner of the Clippers. It was authored by Assemblywoman Tina McKinnor (D-Hawthorne) and backed by the city of Inglewood, which would have to report on the effects of extending alcohol service every year through 2030, when it expires. The bill has been introduced to Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Does this mean California lawmakers are finally loosening up on closing times? Let's hope so. The editorial board supported a bill in 2017 to give cities and counties more authority to set rules on closing times. There's no solid science to support the state's strict adherence to the 2 a.m. closing time. After the 21st Amendment ended the national prohibition of alcohol, states were allowed to set their own laws regulating its sale and distribution.
California adopted its last-call law in 1935, dictating that alcohol sales stop from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. So did Colorado, Iowa, Texas and about two dozen other states. Indiana and Tennessee chose 3 a.m., while Alaska chose 5 a.m. Nevada has no statewide limits at all on when alcohol can be sold. Many states give cities and counties the flexibility to set their own rules on alcohol sales, so establishments in New York City, Chicago and Louisville can serve until 4 a.m., while neighboring cities cut off service to customers at 2 a.m.
There are cities in California, such as Los Angeles, that have a very active music and nightlife scene that has to compete for investment and tourism with cities like New York, Las Vegas, and other cities with very open nighttime hours. Why not give local governments the freedom to allow responsible establishments in appropriate neighborhoods to stay open later? That would help create a fun, lively, and vibrant big-city atmosphere that is attractive to young people and tourists, while generating tax revenue, creating jobs, and increasing income for small businesses, taxi drivers, and ride-sharing services.
Of course, a bill that grants a last-minute exemption for a billion-dollar venue that serves high-end customers is probably not the reform small business advocates would have preferred. But the Intuit Dome may finally convince reluctant lawmakers that it’s OK to allow cities to stay open later.
