The following is a summary of the information nightclubs and venues need to know regarding the new alcohol law in Utah. This is a significant historical event because Utah's liquor laws have been very strict and virtually static since the years of Prohibition (over 80 years ago).
WHO: Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, Senator John Valentine, Representative Greg Hughes, and other legislators, MADD, National Hospitality Association, National Restaurant Association, and other organizations gave input during the bill drafting process.
WHAT: Press Conference was held to unveil proposed new alcohol policy for the State of Utah
WHEN: Monday, March 9th, 2009, 10:00 a.m.
RESULT: The bill was signed into law by Governor Huntsman on 3/30/09 and will go into effect on 5/12/09.
Important Provisions:
* There will be no more Zion Curtain. (A Zion Curtain is slang for the glass partition that separates restaurant patrons from alcoholic beverages. The 'Zion Curtain' liquor law states that servers are not allowed to pass food or drink over the partition.)
* Private Clubs will no longer be required, but businesses that wish to can retain that status. ("Private clubs" are how venues had to conduct themselves to serve alcohol in the past, which required every person to literally sign up and become a member of a club and give them all their personal info before they could drink alcohol.)
* Anyone appearing under the age of 35 will have to have a scannable ID, which will be scanned by the bars and nightclubs they enter.
* A record of the patron's visit will be kept for 5 days. That record will be made available to law enforcement agencies as needed.
(NOTE: THE CLUB WATCH COMMUNITY CONNECTION DOES NOT RELEASE INFORMATION TO LAW ENFORCEMENT WITHOUT A COURT ORDERED SUBPOENA.)
* There will be a flat fee, not a graduated fee for liquor license holders.
* New restaurants cannot have a bar area. Drinks must be prepared in a back room.
* Existing restaurants will be grandfathered.
* Existing restaurants can remove the Zion Curtain.
* Existing restaurants that wish to remodel to remove bar area will get a $30,000 credit to DABC.
* The remodeling will be paid for with Senator Scott McCoy’s SB106 that removes tags from bottles of alcohol sold in Utah.
* There’s a new Resort License (details pending)
* Keeping provision that you can’t look drunk.
There will be new, tougher penalties enacted:
* If you drink and drive in Utah, you will lose your license.
* Minors that get caught will lose their license until they are 21.
* Repeat DUI offenders will have penalties doubled.
Governor Huntsman took a moment to explain that this new law sends the world a message that "we’re keeping pace with change, and that this is an attempt to balance our laws."
The Q&A provided some additional explanation about bars in restaurants. Existing restaurants can take down the Zion curtain, and kids will not be allowed to be seated at the bar areas. The new restaurants can serve alcohol, but cannot have a bar in the facility.
One of the Q&A questions was about the LDS Church, and he explained that they were definitely a stakeholder and involved in the process, they gave a lot of input on this new set of laws, and that they will always be an important voice when discussing any liquor legislation in Utah.
The Club Watch Community Connection helps Utah venues comply with the new alcohol law.
