Utah Brewery Map

Tuesday, February 28, 2017

The Zion Curtain Bill Revealed to be a Dissaster

Only in Utah can you take a shitty law that 70% of the people hate and find a way to make it even worse. That's happened to the newly unveiled Zion Curtain bill. After being revealed yesterday, the specifics of HB442, a bill that was supposed to bring sanity back to the restaurant industry was revealed to have an insane amount of modifications that turned the bill into a massive steaming pile of shit. Included in this petty and spiteful piece of legislation is:
  • A restructuring of the licenses for restaurants and bars, further separating the two.
  • Shrinking the distance restaurants that serve liquor must be from community locations like churches and schools.
  • Mandatory ID checks for anyone who sits in a "dispensary area" where alcohol is poured.
  • No more than two drinks before a patron at a time.
  • Beer labels must comply to a state standard, including making sure there is no confusion between a malted beverage and a soda pop.
  • Creates a pair of anti-underage drinking programs in eighth and 10th grades.
  • More training for waiters, bartenders and restaurants.
  • The Utah Department of Public Safety will do more to track sales to underage people.
  • "Booze carts" are forbidden.
  • Beer in grocery and convenience stores will be limited in where it can be displayed (to one or two areas).
  • A hike of 2% in the cost of liquor.
 Some of the major sticking point with those in the restaurant industry would be the newly conceived "Zion Zone" that would that would protrude 20 plus feet away from the restaurant's bar, compromising the size of the main dining area. The other bullshit is that "restructuring of the licenses" that would dismantle the gray area's that separate bars and restaurants. This would force places like Red Rock and Squatters to choose between their liquor licences and their customer's children.

As it stands, this bullshit compromise is no compromise. It's a reminder to you normal adults that those (Latter Day Saints) in the legislature are still in charge and you are nothing more than a guest in your own home. Don't let this pass as it's currently written - it could still change. Please keep your eyes on this closely and act appropriately.

If that not enough to send you over the edge, we must also work to defeat HB155 the 0.05 BAC bill, which is of great concern as it would make criminals out of responsible restaurant patrons who enjoy an alcoholic beverage with their meal, negatively impact the restaurant industry and image of our state. Please help out in smashing HB155. This bill has already passed the house and is will be up for committee in the Senate. THESE BILLS CURRENTLY THREATENS TO PASS INTO LEGISLATION! We need to focus our attention on the senate NOW. Please click this link: https://le.utah.gov/GIS/findDistrict.jsp to find out who your Senator is and contact them today! Stay united, finish this year strong and we will have an unprecedented 2017 session. For more information please see the talking points below.

8 comments:

Jimmy S. M. said...

What's a "booze cart"?

kent said...

Fucking hell. I just knew there was no way they could get rid of the Zion curtain without teabagging us in the process.

Mikey said...

@jimmy Yeah, no shit. What is that? Are they going to make lil old ladies shlep cases of wine to their cars?

Unknown said...

2% increase on alcohol for underage drinking education?!!!
how about a 2% tax on condoms for proper sex education?

MicroBus Brewery said...

I emailed my senator last week about HB155 last week (before the details of HB442 were released). At that point all I knew was HB442 was 120 pages. Obviously it doesn't take 120 pages to indicate "Zion Curtain no longer required", so I knew I probably needed to prepare to get bent over. Looks like I need to write another email. Oh and so far crickets from Senator Harper...not even an acknowledgement of my email. Write your elected representatives folks. It might not change their mind, but the more they know that their constituents don't support these kinds of cluster f's the better.

MicroBus Brewery said...

HB155 apparently passed committee, 4-2. Asshats

Mikey said...

Rob, you're free to call them "assholes" here.

jcstark said...

Call them on the phone, email is easy to ignore. Their contact information is listed on the leg website.