SALT LAKE CITY — A new bill unveiled in the Utah State Legislature could lead to the dismantling of so-called “Zion Curtains” in restaurants.
On Monday, Rep. Kraig Powell, R-Heber City, quietly filed House Bill 339, which makes changes to liquor laws in bars and restaurants. Buried in the bill are lines that appear to tear down “separate preparation areas,” as they are officially known. Instead, restaurants will be required to post a sign notifying the public that they serve alcohol.
From the bill:
Rep. Powell did not immediately messages seeking comment on his bill Monday.
For years, lawmakers have battled over the “Zion Curtains.” House lawmakers have sought to tear them down (the former House Speaker declared them “weird”) while Senate lawmakers fought to keep them up. After leaving the Senate last year, then-Sen. John Valentine said he wished he had required all Utah restaurants to have them.
Valentine is no longer in the Senate, and it remains to be seen how Rep. Powell’s bill will fare.
