(Aug. 23, 2018, 8:55 a.m.) -- Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D, NLB-Paramount) has joined as a The Assembly Speaker's co-authorship signals the highest level of Dem party leadership support in the Dem majority Assembly, virtually assuring the bill's passage regardless of op-ed opposition recently voiced by Assemblyman Patrick O'Donnell (D, LB). SB 905 has already once-passed the state Senate (where it will return for concurrence in Assembly amendments) supported by Sen. Ricardo Lara (D, LB-Huntington Park) -- the CA Dem party's endorsed candidate in November for statewide Insurance Commissioner -- as an early co-author. In May 2018, the state Senate approved SB 905 on a 27-9-3 vote with Senator Lara voting "yes" and state Senator Janet Nguyen (R, SE LB-west OC) voting "no." The LB-impacting bill advanced without discussion by LB's policy-setting City Council including its "State Legislation Committee" chaired by Councilman Al Austin [who is collecting campaign contributions to pursue a 2020 state Senate seat], Lena Gonzalez and Stacy Mungo.) (In an August 21 reshuffling of Committee members, Garcia replaced Mungo on the State Legislation Committee with Richardson.) [Scroll down for further.] |
On August 6, Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Koretz held an L.A. City Hall news conference flanked by representatives of multiple groups opposing the bill. To view the event (which his office streamed on Facebook), click the links below.
L.A. Councilman Koretz has stated: "While we want our local businesses to thrive, no good can come from serving alcohol until 4 a.m. If this passes we can expect more DUIs, more drunk driving injuries and more alcohol related deaths." In response to the argument that SB 905 simply allows "local choice," Councilman Koretz said: "No district is an island and it is outrageous to call this a local discretion bill when its impacts will spill over into adjacent jurisdictions that will be stuck with the very expensive public safety bill - the cost of life and death." Alcohol Justice (a non-profit industry watchdog group) is among the bill's most consistent opponents at https://alcoholjustice.org/STOP-4AM Other opponents include Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD California).
As previously reported by LBREPORT.com, Mayor Garcia engineered LB's inclusion in SB 905 by telling its author, state Senator Scott Wiener (D, SF) that LB favors it. A November 2017 press release from Sen. Wiener quoted Mayor Garcia as saying: "This bill clearly would not work citywide for us [but] it does give the city and local law enforcement the flexibility to allow special events in the Downtown Entertainment District. This option has been supported by the Downtown Long Beach Business Alliance, which manages our business improvement district." However if SB 905 becomes law, it won't be the Mayor's decision; a Council majority will decide whether to allow 4 a.m. bar closings in Long Beach and if so in what areas and for what "special events."
In late-May/early June Councilwoman Suzie Price stated her opposition to SB 905 in newsletter communications with her constituents, writing in part: "I oppose allowing expanded hours of alcohol sales in Long Beach. Providing more time and access to alcohol presents increased concerns and opportunities for impaired driving, and creates an increased likelihood that people leaving bars are on the road in the early morning hours the same time as commuters beginning their day. I have seen the terrible and tragic affects of too many DUI cases, and would be very concerned with the potential dangers to our many Long Beach communities." However neither Councilwoman Price nor any other LB Councilmember agendized SB 905 for Council discussion on whether to support or oppose the bill that might have put them on a collision course with Garcia and LB's downtown interests.
Statewide listed supporters include: [via State Senate Committee on Governmental Organization March 2018 legislative analysis/most complete supporter list]: 213 Hospitality California Hotel & Lodging Association California Music & Culture Association California Restaurant Association California Small Business Association California Teamsters Public Affairs Council California Travel Association Central City Association City of Oakland City of West Hollywood Darrell Steinberg, Mayor of Sacramento Greater Los Angeles Hospitality Association Hotel Council of San Francisco Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce Lyft Mark E. Farrell, Mayor of San Francisco Robert Garcia, Mayor of Long Beach San Francisco Bar Owner Alliance San Francisco Chamber of Commerce San Francisco Travel Association San Francisco Taxi Workers Alliance State Coalition of Probation Organization UBER UNITE HERE, AFL-CIO Valley Industry and Commerce Association West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Listed opponents include (Assembly Governmental Organization Committee legislative analysis list/June 2018): Alameda County Board of Supervisors Alcohol & Drug Abuse Prevention Team San Ramon Valley Alcohol Justice Asian American Drug Abuse Program Barbary Coast Neighborhood Association California Alcohol Policy Alliance California Council on Alcohol Problems California Youth Council Californians for Drug Free Youth Center for Human Development Center for Open Recovery Cesar E. Chavez Commemorative Committee of the San Fernando Valley Coalition to Prevent Alcohol Related Harms LA Metro Coastal Communities Drug-Free Coalition Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse County Behavioral Health Directors Association Day One Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Network of Southern California Friday Night Live Program Health Officers Association of California Institute for Public Strategies Los Angeles Drug & Alcohol Policy Alliance Los Angeles Police Protective League Lutheran Office of Public Policy - California Mission Neighborhood Centers, Inc. Mothers Against Drunk Driving Mountain Communities Coalition Against Substance Abuse Mountain Communities Family Resource Center National Asian Pacific American Families Against Substance Abuse, Inc. National Coalition Against Prescription Drug Abuse National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence - Orange County Pacoima Urban Village Project Safer Pueblo Y Salud, Inc. San Diegans for Safe Communities San Marcos Prevention Coalition Sonoma County Board of Supervisors South Orange County Coalition Sun Street Centers Tarzana Treatment Centers Teen Esteem The Wall-Las Memorias Project Wellness & Prevention Center West County Alcohol Marijuana & Prescription Drug Coalition West Hollywood Project Westside Impact Project Youth Leadership Institute Arguments in support and opposition (Assembly Local Gov't Committee legislative analysis text): In support. San Francisco Mayor Mark Farrell writes, “SB 905 provides local communities with the opportunity to determine for themselves when, how and if they would like to extend hours of service. This bill in no way circumvents a full public approvals process for such determination. Should this legislation become law, San Francisco would need to begin an exhaustive process to collect input from bar owners, public safety officials, neighborhood leaders, and many others who might be interested in whether or not the City should offer extended service hours permits, including instituting a review by local enforcement for every permit the City would potentially issue. An extension of beverage service hours provides local economies with the opportunity to expand tourism offerings, increase tax revenue, and foster an active, vibrant nightlife.
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