The annual liquor bill in the Utah State Legislature has been unveiled.
It seeks to add more bar and restaurant licenses in the state, but will also impose a “sin tax” on beer by the barrel and raise the price of alcohol sold in state liquor stores.
As FOX 13 News first reported last month, Rep. Jefferson Burton, R-Spanish Fork, has proposed to gradually increase bar licenses in the state. House Bill 548 would lower the arbitrary population quota over the next seven years from one bar license per 10,200 people to one license per 3,167 people.
“Ultimately, that may turn into 300 more bars in the next seven years to go with population growth and demographic changes,” Rep. Burton told FOX 13 News. “The good news is we take a look at that and if’s not working, we can adjust it again.”
Restaurant licenses would also be increased. Under Utah law, restaurants cannot have more than 30% of their total sales be alcohol.
Alcohol policy bills are carefully crafted in the Utah State Legislature with a lot of negotiation between various stakeholders including hospitality and alcohol companies, social conservatives and alcohol abuse prevention groups. So there are always tradeoffs. This year’s bill is no exception.