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House advances alcohol-enforcement overhaul while lawmakers spar over beer tax to fund DUI work
Summary
The House moved first substitute Senate Bill 153 forward with negotiated amendments to strengthen alcohol licensing and enforcement. Separate but related debate over Senate Bill 66 proposed a modest increase in the beer tax to create a restricted account for DUI enforcement; lawmakers disagreed over the need and the size of a tax increase.
The Utah House on March 3 uncircled and advanced a package of alcohol-enforcement changes while hashing out how much of a beer tax increase should be used to restore DUI enforcement funding.
Representative Verkhart, sponsor of the alcohol-enforcement measure (first substitute Senate Bill 153), described the bill as strengthening enforcement of alcohol offenses, tightening controls on underage drinking, increasing license fees and increasing employer accountability. The House voted to uncircle the bill and took up a series of negotiated amendments designed to reflect compromises reached with Senate sponsors and affected industry groups.
Lawmakers adopted a substitute amendment (Amendment 7, offered under Representative Urquhart's name) intended to complete a negotiated compromise between SB153 and Senate Bill 66, which…
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