An effort to extend bar closing times in nine California cities to 4 a.m. is making another comeback.

State Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, has reintroduced the Let Our Communities Adjust Late-Night Act, which would allow later alcohol sales.

The bill, filed late Monday as SB58, encompasses San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, Sacramento, West Hollywood, Long Beach, Coachella (Riverside County), Cathedral City (Riverside County) and Palm Springs, where local officials have expressed interest in participating in a five-year pilot program.

Cities would create their own rules, including where sales extending to 4 a.m. are allowed and how often.

Wiener said the extra hours would boost small businesses and add cultural vibrancy.

“Nightlife is very important in our cities,” Wiener said. “We have this rigid, 100-year-old rule in California that all alcohol sales shall end by 2 a.m., whether you’re in downtown San Francisco or Los Angeles or in a small farm town.”

A version of the bill earlier this year was passed by the Legislature but vetoed by Gov. Jerry Brown, who said it would add “two more hours of mayhem” and increase drunken driving.

Back to Gallery Scott Wiener pushes for 4 a.m. SF, Oakland bar closures... 2 1 of 2 Photo: Liz Hafalia, The Chronicle 2 of 2 Photo: Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle 2017



Wiener said there isn’t data that show an increase in drunken driving, and that around half of U.S. states already allow alcohol sales after 2 a.m.

“Transportation has changed, even in suburban areas,” Wiener said. “People can get a rideshare.”

Brown leaves office next month and will be succeeded by Gavin Newsom, who previously founded the San Francisco wine store PlumpJack, now a group of wineries, restaurants, bars and hotels.

Supporters of the bill include San Francisco Travel, the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, and ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft, which stand to see an increase in late-night business.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed supported the earlier bill this year, along with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.

“Every community has its own needs, and cities should be able to make informed decisions about what nightlife hours make sense for residents, visitors, and neighborhoods,” Garcetti said in a statement. “This bill would give us an opportunity to look more closely at what is best for public safety and our economy, and to make those choices locally.”

Opponents have included advocacy groups Alcohol Justice and California Alcohol Policy Alliance.

The bill calls for the five-year pilot program to start in the nine cities on Jan. 1, 2022, though Wiener said potentially it could start a year sooner. After five years, the Legislature would have to act to make the changes permanent.

The first hearing on the bill is expected to be held in March or April, Wiener said.

“These bars and nightclubs are overwhelmingly small businesses,” Wiener said. “An extra two hours could be the difference between surviving and not surviving.”

Roland Li is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: roland.li@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rolandlisf