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Utah House approves bill moving weekday restaurant alcohol service to noon
Summary
The House passed Senate Bill 7 on Feb. 11, 1993, changing weekday start time for alcohol service in licensed restaurants from 1 p.m. to 12 noon. Sponsor Representative Jones framed the change as a tourist- and business-friendly technical fix; opponents raised statutory and public-safety questions during floor debate.
The Utah House voted to pass Senate Bill 7 on Feb. 11, 1993, a bill that would allow licensed restaurants to begin serving alcoholic beverages at 12:00 noon Monday through Friday instead of the current 1:00 p.m. start time. Representative Jones, the bill’s floor sponsor, said the change is meant to modernize confusing rules that have frustrated tourists and business owners.
Jones told colleagues the current law—dating to the mini-bottle era—creates “annoyance and confusion” for visitors who cannot order the same types of drinks at noon that they could on weekends. In a widely quoted anecdote he described a tourist at a resort who asked for “a glass of wine with my lunch” and was told, “I can’t serve you wine until 01:00.” Jones argued the law deters travel-industry investment and offers little public-safety upside.
Opponents and questioners probed statutory interactions and public-safety implications. Representative Olson asked whether the strike-to-change in the bill could affect holiday or election-day prohibitions on service; sponsors and staff said those limits are covered in other statutes and the bill removes an exception so the same hour applies across weekdays and weekends. On safety, supporters cited a 1990 liquor-control task-force finding that expanding restaurant sales hours is unlikely to increase total alcohol consumption.
Lawmakers also noted industry reaction. Jones cited local restaurant owners and the Restaurant Association as supportive, and said the Citizens Advisory Council on Alcoholic Beverages had endorsed the measure. Representative James called existing liquor statutes “ridiculous” and urged modernization, while other members sought clarity about enforcement and fiscal effects.
After debate, the House recorded 48 votes in favor and 17 against; the bill passed the House and will proceed for the speaker’s signature and further processing. The sponsor waived closing remarks, and the chamber moved on to other business.
