SALT LAKE CITY — With the Olympics approaching in Utah, the latest version of the omnibus alcohol bill introduced in the state legislature looks to address many hospitality groups' concerns.
House Bill 597, sponsored by Rep. Jefferson Burton, R-Salem, makes a number of changes that have been requested by tourism hotspots, restaurants and hospitality leaders.
"We did talk about the Olympics. We did talk about international travelers," Rep. Burton said in an interview Tuesday with FOX 13 News.
He described the bill as helping "Utah stay Utah" but added: "We also understand our demographic is changing and as we urbanize, we’re going to have more issues that need to be dealt with."
The biggest change in the bill deals with a word restaurant and bar industry groups are very familiar with: proximity. That is how close a licensed liquor establishment can be to a community location like a park, school or church. Under HB597, bars and taverns will still not be allowed anywhere near them. But hotel bars and restaurants will be allowed to move closer to parks.
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"The city, if they decide economically they need to build a hotel near the park, they will have an open public process where they have public comment. The city makes the decision they want to go forward, they have to send that to the alcohol commission to be approved or not approved," Rep. Burton said.
It's been an issue for communities across the state with mixed-use developments where people want to be near open spaces, but also want a cafe or restaurant nearby. Salt Lake City has been dealing with it for a hotel development planned near Sugar House Park and Smith Entertainment Group's massive downtown redevelopment project around the Delta Center.
But not everyone is a fan of that.
"I think the proximity should stay where it’s at," said Art Brown, a prominent alcohol abuse prevention advocate on Utah's Capitol Hill, who told FOX 13 News he would fight that in the bill. "I think we should have a community norm of protecting kids."
As FOX 13 News reported last month, lawmakers have floated the idea of moving Utah from the already lowest in America .05 blood alcohol level to a .02. That did not appear in the bill, but another provision in the omnibus alcohol bill addresses something tourist-heavy communities have complained about for years. Under HB597, restaurants and bars will now be able to accept foreign driver licenses. Before, it was passport-only. That presented problems when a visitor from outside the United States left the ski slopes for the bar and left their passport in their hotel room.
"We’re not going to turn anybody away. That is something we very much were concerned about," Rep. Burton said. "We make sure foreign visitors feel welcome here."
Another hard rule governing restaurants will get tweaked under HB597. Currently, restaurants can have no more than 30% of their total sales be alcohol. Under the bill, what's commonly called the "70/30 split" will be modified (and will also benefit arenas, hotels, etc.).
"In the past we’ve been counting fillers that weren’t really alcohol as alcohol in that 70/30 mix," Rep. Burton said. "This removes flavors and sweeteners and goes right down to the alcohol purchased from the state."
The bill does increase penalties for anyone who is caught selling alcohol to a minor. It will also run in tandem with a bill that walks back the 100% mandatory ID check for restaurants only.
"All in all, I think it’s a great bill," said Lincoln Shurtz with the Salt Lake Area Restaurant Association. "We’re seeing more visitors, trying to make sure we have a balanced approach in our alcohol laws."
