(FOX40.COM) — A new bill could allow Californians to drink alcohol on sidewalks and other public spaces in special “entertainment zones.”
A bill signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last year allowed both the city and county of San Francisco to designate special areas for the “consumption of one or more types of alcoholic beverages on public streets, sidewalks, or public rights-of-way adjacent to and during a special event permitted or licensed by the department.”
The new bill, in its current form, would expand this power to all cities and counties.
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“Getting people back out in the streets is key to the economic recovery of cities across California,” said Senator Scott Wiener, who introduced Senate Bill 969 . “By creating Entertainment Zones, we’re giving people a reason to go back to areas where recovery has been slow while creating a vital new revenue stream for bars and restaurants.”
The bill also does away with the requirement of a special event or extra permission from the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.