Long Beach could see last call for some bars extended to 4 a.m. under a bill that will soon go before the California State Assembly.
The bill, called SB 905, passed its final committee on Thursday and will head to the full Assembly for a vote within the next two weeks, officials said.
Proposed by Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, SB 905 would allow nine California cities to decide whether to extend alcohol sales at bars, nightclubs and restaurants to 4 a.m. The current cutoff is 2 a.m.
The five-year pilot program would kick off Jan. 1, 2021, and would include Long Beach, Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Oakland, Palm Springs, West Hollywood, Cathedral City and Coachella.
Wiener said in a statement said the bill would allow for local control over nightlife, “granting flexibility to cities to allow bars to stay open later in certain neighborhoods or for special events if that’s what the community decides is best.”
My bill (#SB905) allowing, but not requiring, 9 cities to extend nightlife hours to 4 am, just passed its final committee – the same committee that killed it last yr. The bill now heads to a vote by the full Assembly in the next wk or two. I’m deeply appreciative of the support.
— Senator Scott Wiener (@Scott_Wiener) August 16, 2018
The bill, passed by the State Senate in May, has received pushback from groups including California Alcohol Policy Alliance (CAPA), and Alcohol Justice, who say the effort is a dangerous experiment that would result in an increase in alcohol-related deaths.