Pa. House GOP Leaders Wary of Extending Barroom Serving Hours in Certain Areas

By Tony Romeo

HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) -- Republican leaders in the Pennsylvania legislature are giving a lukewarm reception to the idea of legislation that would allow some bars in the state to remain open past 2:00am.

The idea would involve allowing bars in certain areas, such entertainment zones and/or center city Philadelphia, to remain open until 4am as a means of enticing college graduates not to flee the state after they graduate.

But Rep. Dave Reed (R-Indiana County), the House majority leader, whose district includes Indiana University of Pennsylvania, noted that people in Harrisburg "float ideas all the time" and he was initially cool to the idea of allowing for later last calls.

"Yeah, I represent a college town, so I'm not sure I want to keep the bars open an extra two hours, with 15,000 college students," he said today. "So, we'll see."

Reed says it will be up to the House Liquor Control Committee to vet any legislation that may be introduced. But he and the chairman of that committee say any legislation to allow bars open later is not a priority.