CA Law Extending Last Call To 4 A.M. On Tap At State Legislature

CALIFORNIA — Legislators seeking to extend the last call for alcohol to 4 a.m. instead of 2 a.m. at bars, nightclubs and restaurants — but not liquor stores — in certain parts of California won the support of their peers in the state Senate this week. Senate Bill 905, next on tap for the state Assembly’s approval, would give the cities of San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Palm Desert, Oakland, Long Beach and West Hollywood the option of allowing establishments to apply for an additional hours license.

“Nightlife in California is crucial to our culture and our economy,” said the bill’s lead proponent, state Sen. Scott Wiener, a Democrat who represents San Francisco. “This bill allows for local control over nightlife – granting flexibility to cities to allow bars to stay open later in certain neighborhoods or for special events if that’s what the community decides is best. I’m proud this bill continues to gain bipartisan support and look forward to moving it through the Assembly.”

SB 905 was approved by the state Senate Wednesday, May 30 by a margin of 24 yes votes to nine no votes. The Senate majority approved it as a five-year pilot program of the state’s Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control in partnership with the seven cities whose mayors expressed interest in pursuing the later hours.

The bill does not automatically extend alcohol sale hours in the respective cities; rather, it creates the option for the cities to choose to extend hours, Wiener’s office noted in a news release.

If SB 905 is passed by the Assembly, about two-and-a-half years from now — Jan. 1, 2021 — is when the legislation would take effect, ready for consumption.

Some, like the folks with the Alcohol Justice organization, hope it won’t happen at all.

“This is the worst alcohol-related legislation of this session,” the nonprofit states on its website. “Extending the hours of operation for on-sale retailers will result in increased alcohol-related harm. This bill recycles previously failed bills … Alcohol service from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m, even in special ‘entertainment districts,’ extends neighborhood noise, street violence, and impaired driving to the hours of 4 a.m at least, and DUIs and traffic collisions could snarl early morning commuter traffic regionally. Without adequate local mitigation fees on alcohol, there will be vast increases to costs of night owl transportation (if any), police, sheriff, CHP, ambulance service, and emergency room usage.”

According to Wiener, cities will have significant flexibility and can, for example, limit extended hours only to certain neighborhoods, only to certain nights of the week, or only to a few nights a year. Local governments still will have to create and approve a plan, which ABC will also have to approve, to allow for later service hours with full community input. (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news from your California neighborhood. Also, download the free Patch iPhone app or free Patch Android app. Also, be sure to follow your local Patch on Facebook!)

SB 905 requires California Highway Patrol and local law enforcement to submit reports to the Legislature regarding the regional impact of the additional service hours areas.

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The bill has a five-year sunset, meaning the effects of allowing later service hours can be evaluated and then renewed or discontinued after five years, the senator’s office said.

Co-authors of SB 905 include: Sens. Ricardo Lara (D-Long Beach) and Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) and Assembly members Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles), Jay Obernolte (R-Hesperia) and Reggie-Jones Sawyer (D-Los Angeles).

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