| For over thirty years, Utah has been the home of | | | | As is the case with most acts of legislation, Utah's |
| some of the country's strictest drinking laws. One of | | | | new liquor bill has its supporters and opponents. |
| these laws 'and perhaps the most controversial- | | | | Among the most prominent voices of dissent is the |
| required all Utah bars to be private clubs. Anyone | | | | advocacy group Mothers Against Drunk Driving |
| wishing to drink at one of these private clubs had to | | | | (MADD). Utah's chapter of MADD advocated for |
| purchase a membership. However, Governor Jon | | | | some strict requirements as lawmakers were working |
| Huntsman Jr. has just signed a bill that will abolish the | | | | on the intricacies of the bill. The chapter composed a |
| private clubs and allow bars to be bars, so to speak. | | | | list of "must haves" for the new bill, but a review by |
| Tourism officials in Utah believe the new law will have | | | | the Associated Press showed that almost all of the |
| a positive impact on the tourism industry and allow the | | | | proposals were not endorsed by the national MADD |
| state to be on a more level playing field with | | | | organization. |
| competition. | | | | Some positions of Utah's chapter that are not |
| Along with repealing the private club requirement, | | | | congruent with the national MADD organization include |
| Senate Bill 187 also abolishes the law which prevented | | | | banning bars from restaurants and keeping hotel bars |
| bartenders and servers from passing drinks across | | | | away from the view of the public. Utah's chapter also |
| the restaurant bar. In addition, the bill has increased the | | | | pushed for proposals that would require bars to have |
| liability for bars that serve customers who | | | | surveillance cameras and state liquor stores to sell |
| subsequently cause traffic accidents from drunk | | | | beer, wine and liquor at room temperature. The |
| driving. The law also requires new restaurants that | | | | national MADD organization worries that these |
| serve alcohol to mix the drinks out of the sight of | | | | proposals will inaccurately depict the organization as |
| underage customers. Concessions were made as the | | | | prohibitionist. |
| 213-page bill was written. Once the bill comes into | | | | MADD's Utah chapter formed these policies into a |
| effect, bar owners will be required to install driver | | | | position paper and distributed it to lawmakers as they |
| license scanners and scan the licenses of anyone who | | | | worked on the bill. Although these concessions did not |
| appears to be under the age of 35. The scanners will | | | | make it into the bill, MADD agreed to not publicly |
| store the data of the driver licenses for seven days in | | | | oppose the new law. Governor Hunstman signed this |
| order to assist police investigation in any potential | | | | controversial bill into law on Monday, March 30. |
| alcohol-related crimes. | | | | |