The End of an Era!!! Thank God.

Most of you have probably heard that Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. announced a deal Monday that would make the most sweeping changes in decades to Utah's liquor laws, including an end to the state's one-of-a-kind private-club law.

The liquor-reform package was hammered out during weeks of intense negotiations with the governor's staff, legislators and representatives of the hospitality and restaurant industries and the LDS Church.

The compromise legislation would do away with private clubs, replacing them with a scanner verifying the validity of the identification presented by anyone who appears under age 35. Data would be stored on-site for a week. There would be no centralized law-enforcement database

For restaurants that serve alcohol, the bill would do away with the so-called "Zion Curtain," a glass barrier that servers must walk around to distribute drinks to patrons. Under the proposed changes, bartenders would now be able to pass a drink to a patron across the bar.

New restaurants would need a separate area for mixing drinks, away from the view of children. Existing restaurants would be grandfathered, but might qualify for $30,000 in assistance if they chose to renovate to conceal the mixing of drinks.

These demands on new restaurants will create situations in which they are treated differently than existing establishments and might discourage eateries from locating in the state.

Part of the liquor-reform package also would toughen penalties for drunken driving: Repeat offenders could forfeit their vehicles; underage drunken drivers could lose their licenses; and bar owners could face more legal liability if drunken patrons are involved in accidents.

The bill is expected to move quickly through the Legislature, starting in the Senate. If it passes and is signed by the governor, the private-club provisions would kick in July 1; the restaurant changes would take effect May.

Other Liquor related legislation to pass, the tacky and labor intensive D.A.B.C. tax stickers are going away. This will save the state over one million bucks a year. Maybe the money could go into purchasing beer coolers for liquor stores. Hint-hint...

As of this morning, there is no change on the status of HB 349 "the heavy beer on draft bill".

And of course the Utah Homebrew Bill. No longer will you feel like a deviant when making your next batch of "Bourbon Barrel aged-Triple-Imperial-Dry Hopped-Dopple IPA with Brettomyces"!

Well... maybe a little. Cheers!

Here Comes the Gov.

It looks like we're one step closer to doing away with
the dreaded private club memberships. Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. isn't waiting for the state liquor commission to come up with a proposal. The Governor is having his own staff draft a bill for the 2009 Legislature to consider.


The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission voted back in July to start work on a proposal to eliminate requirements that would-be drinkers in Utah fill out applications and pay membership fees before being allowed into a private club. But in August, commissioners voted to "slow the process of drafting legislation on the private club membership issue at this time," after one member, Kathryn Balmforth, raised concerns about the need for any change to the law.



It's believed that the governor's office is stepping in because of political pressure surrounding the issue. In my opinion it would seem a prudent move on the governors part, due to the current economic climate. If we're truly seriously about competing for tourism dollars in a time of curbed luxury spending against states that offer true hospitality for adults who want to do adult things; then we have no choice but to enact these changes sooner than later.



I think Huntsman really has his shit together on this issue, and I hope the LDS Church and the state legislature have the foresight to see past their "political sensitivities" and concentrate on what's best for the state. Thus ends this sermon. Cheers!

Source: Deseret News

Trust, Yet Verify

If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. Right? I mean at least that's what most of us have been taught. Trust yet verify. That's my position on the current possibility of abolishing the state of Utah's private club system. Even though the plan has the full support of Utah's LDS Governor and the states liquor-control commissioners agreed (by a 3-1 vote) to gather information on the proposed club elimination I still have a bad feeling the rug will be pulled from under us.

The Utah Hospitality Association would like to see the state's 77 taverns - which can only serve beer up to 4.0% - to be allowed to stock heavier beers(above 4.0%), wines and distilled spirits, moving bars into the "private club" category. Thus abolishing membership fees. Under this proposal, everything would operate in a similar fashion to Utah's airport lounges, where alcoholic beverages are sold with or without food, at a bar or table.

It all sounds fine and dandy, 'till you find out that LDS Church has made no comment as of yet on the possible abolishment of private clubs. In reality no such proposal can proceed with out their backing and it would be political suicide to advance without they're input. "The church is reserving comment until it sees a final draft of the law." said LDS Church spokesman Scott Trotter Wednesday in the Salt Lake Tribune.

And what about Utah's Tea totaling Legislature. These people don't make major changes in Utah's liquor laws without demanding a large piece of flesh in return. If the proposed club elimination ever sees the governors desk I guaran-fuck'n-tee-you we will loose a drinking liberty that we now enjoy. Remember we only got .5 oz more booze per shot because it was traded away for the "alco-pop" ban. Don't get me wrong, no one would be happier than yours-truly to see this arcane system of the sixties die. But it sounds too good to be true.