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Late-session liquor changes would let cities adopt two-year licenses and permit administrative approval of routine licenses
Summary
Council heard that a late liquor-code bill separates lodging/entertainment licenses, permits alcohol on Christmas, creates a large-event catering license, and lets municipalities choose two-year terms and administrative approval (no hearing) for straightforward license applications.
Evan King reviewed a late-session liquor bill that makes multiple changes: separating lodging and entertainment licenses, authorizing alcohol sales on Christmas Day, creating a catering license for very large events, and giving municipalities two local options — license terms of two years and administrative approval for noncontroversial new licenses. "Licenses now can be issued for 2 years instead of 1," King said, while noting some municipalities prefer annual review as a compliance checkpoint.
King explained administrative approval would remove routine licenses from council hearing schedules but municipalities could route "red-flagged" applications to a hearing. Council members discussed whether the city should adopt the two-year term or retain annual hearings as a compliance opportunity; staff said they would provide options and the caveats for each approach.
