SALT LAKE CITY — Utah lawmakers plan to unveil a major overhaul of the state’s notoriously quirky liquor laws today that’s intended to make the state appear a little less odd and a lot more friendly to tourists.
But while the state’s bar industry is a vocal cheerleader for the effort to let anyone who is 21 or older enter a bar without having to pay a fee and become a member first, there’s also concern among bar owners that a little-discussed change as part of the proposal could wreak havoc on their businesses.
A provision making its way through the Legislature would redefine what it means to be intoxicated, greatly expanding the authority of state agents and the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to fine and shut down bars and restaurants.
The Utah attorney general’s office is making the request because in October the Utah Supreme Court ruled that simply being drunk is not a crime and that state agents were wrongfully citing bars, restaurants and servers for serving an intoxicated person. The Associated Press
