A bill expected to be introduced this week into the Colorado House would let towns, cities or counties decide if last call at the local bar remains 2 a.m. or goes all night long.
Rep. Steve Lebsock, a Democrat from Thornton, is introducing a bill that would allow municipalities to extend the hours.
“The state of Colorado should not be in the business of telling local governments when to open and close their businesses,” Lebsock said. “It’s a local control issue.”
Lebsock said local governments, working with local law enforcement, are better informed to make a decision about when bars should close, or not close at all. A 2 a.m. closing time across the state means a lot of people are leaving bars at the same time, which is a burden to law enforcement to catch drunk drivers.
“If it makes sense to close the bars and restaurants down at 2 a.m., as it is now, then the local police chief and the local city council can make that decision,” Lebsock said.
“If it makes sense to close the bars and restaurants down at 2 a.m., as it is now, then the local police chief and the local city council can make that decision,” Lebsock said.
The bill won’t allow local governments to roll back hours, however. Lebsock said that would hurt small businesses who depend on the hours they have now.
But, he said, Colorado likely loses tourists and conventions by restricting the hours or consumption.
Fran Lanzer, the executive director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving’s Colorado chapter, said he won’t take a position on the bill until he sees it. The concept, however, would make roads less safe, he said.
By allowing nearby towns to stagger the hours, it increases the likelihood people will be bar-hopping in the early morning hours, instead of going home after 2 a.m., he said.
Lanzer said traffic fatalities are up and state statistics to be released next week are expected to show increases in drunk driving.
“There are a lot of things law enforcement officers ae trying to get handle on, and this isn’t something that’s needed,” Lanzer said. “We think it’s very important to maintain a uniform cutoff across the state, because it makes our roads safer,”
In 2014, current Democratic House Speaker Crisanta Duran sponsored a similar bill that was supported by police and fire unions, as well as downtown Denver businesses.
After it sailed out of committee, however, it got larded with amendments on the House floor and ultimately failed.
With Duran in a more powerful position, the bill could have a better chance to make it to the Republican-controlled Senate this year, if Lebsock can broker agreements with other legislators.
By Joey Bunch, http://ColoradoPolitics.com