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Governor Vetoes SB 905 (4 a.m. bar bill)


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(Sept. 28, 2018, 3:30 p.m.) -- Governor Jerry Brown has vetoed SB 905, a bill that would have let bars and hotels serve alcohol until 4 a.m. in nine cities, including Long Beach, if approved by their respective City Councils.

In his veto message, Governor Brown wrote:

"Without question, these two extra hours will result in more drinking. The businesses and cities in support of this bill see that as a good source of revenue. The California Highway Patrol, however, strongly believes that this increased drinking will lead to more drunk driving. California's laws regulating late night drinking have been on the books since 1913. I believe we have enough mischief from midnight to 2 without adding two more hours of mayhem."

Long Beach was among nine CA cities included in the bill's test ("pilot") of the 4 a.m. closing times as a result of Mayor Garcia have told the bill's author, state Senator Scott Wiener (D, SF) that Long Beach wanted to be included. As previously reported by LBREPORT.com, a November 2017 press release from SB 905 author 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."

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State Senator Ricardo Lara (D, LB-Huntington Park), the CA Dem Party's endorsed candidate for Insurance Commissioner in November, joined as an early co-author of SB 905. 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."

When the bill reached the Assembly, Assemblyman Patrick O'Donnell (D, LB) was one of only a few Dems to vote "no." (Its Assembly passage was a foregone conclusion with support from Speaker Anthony Rendon (D, NLB-Paramount.)

Sponsor

Sponsor

SB 905's local supporters included the Downtown Long Beach Alliance and the LB Area Chamber of Commerce.

Alcohol Justice (a non-profit industry watchdog group) was among SB 905's most consistent opponents, along with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD California).

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."

Sponsor


The LB-impacting bill advanced through the legislative process without discussion by LB's policy-setting City Council including its "State Legislation Committee" (Councilmembers Austin, Gonzalez and Mungo for most of 2018, but with Mungo replaced by Councilman Richardson (in an August 2018 reshuffling of Council Committees by Mayor Garcia.)

Sponsor

Sponsor


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

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