Thirsty? Downtown bar hopping could last until 4 AM if a bill in Lansing passes.
Senate Bill 247 proposes an extension of last call for bars located in central business districts, meaning bars in Gilbertown/downtown Detroit along with downtown Ferndale, Royal Oak, and others could stay open until 4 AM instead of 2 AM.
The bill, which was introduced earlier this year, is expected to go to committee soon. But, if we've learned anything this week it's that sometimes legislation is really really hard to pass, so it may be a while. Voting on the bill is not currently scheduled.
Those pushing for the bill, incltuding 4th District Senator Virgil Smith, who proposed the bill, say it could give Detroit an edge in the competition for "totally rad city to live in" against cities like Chicago, Miami, and NYC. Plus, the $10,000 a year permit to keep slinging drinks would bring in extra cash -- 85% of it would go to local police departments, 10% to the Liquor Control Commission and 5% to the city governments.
Kathleen Gray at the Free Press notes:
The proposed bill comes three years after the Legislature passed a measure allowing bars and stores to sell alcohol before noon on Sunday. Since that law went into effect, $4,124,320 in additional permit fees has been generated by bars and stores looking to sell before noon
Those opposed say the bill is just going to make drunk people even drunker and that revenue may not pay for the extra police action needed for even drunker people. Plus, it also means your post-bar closing trip for coneys could be breakfast. (Wait. Is that positive?)
