4 a.m. Last Call Bill Passes Senate; Santa Clarita Bargoers Might Not Get A Shot

Santa Clarita Valley residents might soon have the option of purchasing alcohol locally between 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. if a new bill becomes law, but several local officials aren’t as excited about the potential change.

Senate Bill 384, also known as the “Nightlife Bill,” passed the Senate floor Wednesday by a vote of 27-9 with 4 representatives, including Henry Stern, D-Canoga Park not recording a vote.

The bill essentially allows for residents in an area to develop a “local plan” regarding the implementation of a new closing time.

The bill was authored by Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, and Sen. Joel Anderson, R-San Diego, and allows for the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) to authorize “with or without conditions, the selling, giving, or purchasing of alcoholic beverages at individual on-sale licensed premises between the hours of 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. within a city, county or a city and a county provided the local governing develops and approves a local plan, relative to the additional hours of service,” according to the bill’s text.

In order for a city or county to be granted authorization, they must provide a local plan that reaches several criteria that include: local law enforcement assessments regarding the potential impact, programs to increase public awareness of impacts of alcohol consumption and transportation services, and more.

“Any restriction that we have on the sale of legal substance like alcohol are put in place,” said Bob Sharits, a Santa Clarita drug and alcohol counselor and program director for The Way Out Recovery, “to combat any trouble that might arise from people drinking.”

The initial reaction from locally elected officials might leave SCV partiers holding off on rescheduling their last calls.

Two separate Santa Clarita representatives expressed hesitation Thursday when reached for comment, including Senator Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, who voted against the bill.

“Typically, I believe in local control, but in this particular case it doesn’t make sense,” said Wilk. “If just one person was killed by a drunk driver who was in a bar after 2 a.m. I couldn’t live with myself… I just think the price of somebody’s life far exceeds whatever profits they might generate.”

Opponents of the bill argued it would lead to increased DUI-related collisions, as well as several other public health risks. Opponents cited a 2010 U.S. Community Prevention Services Task Force recommendation against extending alcohol sales.

“The Task Force repeated peer-reviewed evidence showing that increasing hours of sale by two or more hours found increases in vehicle crash injuries, emergency room admissions, and alcohol-related assault and injury,” according to the bill’s Senate floor analysis.

For the city perspective, Santa Clarita Mayor Cameron Smyth expressed no real interest in adopting a 4 a.m. last call in the Santa Clarita Valley.

“I would need some real convincing as to why (this bill) is needed,” said Smyth.

San Francisco business owners, including a myriad of business and political powers, were strong supporters of the bill. Their reason given for supporting the bill mainly traced back to perceived challenges in competing with other cities for tourism and conference rights.

From the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce:

“California statute permits the legal sale of alcohol until 2 a.m. at on- and off-sale establishments. This makes it challenging for San Francisco to compete for tourists, conventions, and conferences attracted to late-night cultural offerings of other cities across the country and around the world that allow alcohol sales after that time. And it may not meet the growing demand of local residents who work nontraditional hours and would enjoy more options for late-night entertainment.”

Smyth scoffed at the logic and noted that many businesses have a “laundry list” of reasons why they’ve left California, and “closing time” is not generally at the top of the list.

“I would say if that is their true interest, if this is all the California Legislature can do to make the state more business-friendly and competitive,” Smyth said, “than their problems are bigger than I had ever even imagined.”

You can read the bill in its entirety here.