Gov. Brown Vetoes Bill Extending Bar Hours To 4 AM
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- Declaring "we have enough mischief from midnight to 2 (am)," Gov. Jerry Brown has vetoed a bill that would have extended last call at bars and taverns in nine California cities, including San Francisco and Oakland, to 4 a.m.
In taking the action Friday, Brown believed that while the extended hours would have increased revenues in the cities, they would have also come with a serious public safety threat.
"The California Highway Patrol strongly believes increased drinking will lead to more drunk driving," Brown wrote adding that the extra two hours would "result in more drinking."
"California's laws regulating late night drinking have been on the books since 1913," he continued. "I believe we have enough mischief from midnight to 2 without adding two more hours of mayhem."
Sen. Scott Weiner's, D-San Francisco, sponsored the bill which called for longer bar hours in San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, Sacramento, West Hollywood, Long Beach, Coachella, Cathedral City, and Palm Springs.
Cities would have been able to individually decide whether to limit extended hours to certain neighborhoods, nights of the week, or even certain times throughout the year.
The bill would have gone into effect in January 2021 with a five-year limit that will allow officials to evaluate the effects of longer service hours and decide whether to renew or discontinue the legislation.
