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Committee approves tavern license amendment, then passes House Bill 276 as amended
Summary
Lawmakers voted unanimously to approve an amendment creating a tavern license without a food requirement, then advanced House Bill 276 as amended onto the consent calendar.
The House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee voted to approve amendment 1033 H, which, according to sponsors, creates a new tavern license class that would require patrons to be 21 or older, carry a higher license fee, and drop the current food service requirement for some on-premise beverage establishments. Representative Burrows moved the amendment; Representative Petousek seconded.
Representative Burrows told the committee the amendment “basically does create a tavern license and a tavern license would restrict. You have to be over 21 to get into the tavern, and but that it would have a higher license fee, but would not have any food requirement.” The committee voted 15–0 to approve the amendment, as the clerk announced the tally.
After approving the amendment, the committee considered HB 276 as amended. Committee members completed the roll call and the chair announced the motion to place the bill on the consent calendar. At a later vote on a related motion the clerk recorded a 14–1 tally for a subsequent procedural vote connected to consent placement; the committee then placed HB 276 on the consent calendar.
Representative Burrows and other sponsors said the amendment intends to provide a licensing alternative for establishments that do not or cannot meet current food-service thresholds while making the license more restrictive in age and fee structure.
