Mayor Garcia Told State Senator That Long Beach Welcomes Inclusion In A Bill That Could Let LB Bars/Restaurants Serve Alcohol Till 4 a.m.

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Garcia is quoted in Senator's release as saying it wouldn't work citywide in LB but gives "City & local law enforcement flexibility to allow special events in Downtown Entertainment District," an option Garcia said is "supported by Downtown LB [Business] Alliance"

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(Dec. 6, 2017, 11:20 a.m.) -- State Senator Scott Wiener (D, San Francisco) has issued a release quoting Mayor Robert Garcia as saying the City of Long Beach favors inclusion in a bill Sen. Weiner plans to introduce in January 2018 that would let six California cities (by subsequent votes of their City Councils) let their bars and restaurants (but not liquor stores) serve alcohol until 4 a.m. The six cities given that option in Sen. Wiener's bill would be San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, Sacramento, West Hollywood and Long Beach:

In a November 28 release, Sen. Wiener quotes Mayor Garcia as saying: "I want to thank Senator Wiener for including the City of Long Beach in this bill. While this bill clearly would not work citywide for us, 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."

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To LBREPORT.com's knowledge, there's been no publicly agendized discussion in any LB City Council committee(s) or by the full LB City Council of whether to favor LB's inclusion in a Sacramento bill that could allow 4 a.m. alcohol service whether downtown or anywhere else in LB for "special events" or on other weekdays.

If the bill ultimately becomes law, LB's Mayor (whoever it might be at that time) wouldn't decide the issue. Under LB's City Charter, LB's Mayor has no policy-setting vote (only a veto that six Councilmembers can override), is recognized "for all ceremonial purposes" and "shall represent the City at large and utilize the office of Mayor to provide community leadership and as a focal point for the articulation of city-wide perspectives on municipal issues."

Sponsor

Senator Wiener calls his new bill the "LOCAL ACT" on grounds it [Weiner press release text] "creates pure local control on whether to extend hours..." Sen. Wiener is the same Sacramento lawmaker who authored SB 35 (enacted into law in 2017) that strips California cities of local decision making control, prevents public CEQA haring input/appeals on major impacting issues, and requires clerk-type approval when developers seek approval for large multi-unit housing projects if a city (like LB) hasn't issued permits for new housing in numbers that satisfy a regional body.

Sponsor

In 2017, Sen. Wiener introduced a bill with 4 a.m. provisions that would have applied statewide which passed the state Senate (27-9, 4 not voting) with the "yes" vote of state Sen. Ricardo Lara (D, LB-Huntington Park) and the "no" vote of state Sen. Janet Nguyen (R, SE LB-West OC.) Prior to an Assembly floor vote, an Assembly Committee turned the measure into a "study bill," angering Sen. Weiner who dropped it and vowed to reintroduce its provisions in some form in 2018.

Prior to its involuntary change into a "study bill," Sen. Wiener's statewide 4 a.m. alcohol service proposal had the following registered supporters and opponents (source: July 2017 legislative analysis, Assembly Gov'tal Organization Committee)


REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
SB 384

Anaheim Chamber of Commerce
California Hotel & Lodging Association
California Music & Culture Association
California Restaurant Association
California Teamsters Public Affairs Council
California Travel Association
City and County of San Francisco
City of Oakland
Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
Elizabeth Peterson Group
Hotel Council of San Francisco
LAX Coastal Chamber of Commerce
Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
Lyft
Mayor Edwin Lee, San Francisco
San Francisco Bar Owner Alliance
San Francisco Chamber of Commerce
San Francisco Taxi Workers Alliance
San Francisco Travel Association
Uber Technologies
UNITE-HERE, AFL-CIO
Valley Industry and Commerce Association
West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce

Opposition

A Sobering Choice Coalition
AADAP, Inc.
ADAPT Lamorinda
ADAPT San Ramon Valley
Alcohol Justice
Alcohol Policy Panel of San Diego County
Barbary Coast Neighborhood Association
California Alcohol Policy Alliance
California College and University Police Chiefs Association
California Council for Alcohol Problems
Coalition for Drug Free Escondido
Coalition to Prevent Alcohol-Related Harms in LA Metro
Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
County Behavioral Health Directors Association of California
County of Marin Board of Supervisors
Friday Night Live Partnership
Health Officers Association of California
Hollywood Hills Recovery
Los Angeles Drug and Alcohol Policy Alliance
Lutheran Office of Public Policy-California
Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Mountain Communities Coalition Against Substance Abuse
National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence -- Orange County
National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence -- San Fernando Valley
North Coastal Prevention Coalition
Partnership for Positive Pomona
Project SAFER Educational Foundation
Pueblo y Salud, Inc.
Rethinking Alcohol and other Drugs
San Diego Police Chiefs’ and Sheriff’s Association
San Marcos Prevention Coalition
Santee Collaborative
Santee Solutions Coalition
SF Prevention Coalition
Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Tarzana Treatment Centers
The Wall Las Memorias Project
United Methodist Church
United Neighborhoods for Los Angeles
Wellness & Prevention Center
West Hollywood Project
Westside Impact Coalition
Numerous letters from the public

Sponsor