California Bill To Extend Last Call Fails In Committee

SACRAMENTO (CBSLA.com) – A bill that would allow California bars to extend last call to 4 a.m. has fallen short in the California Assembly.

California Senate Bill 384, known as the LOCAL Act, did not make it through the Assembly Appropriations Committee Friday.

Authored by state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), the bill would have allowed California communities to individually decide whether to extend alcohol sales at bars, nightclubs and restaurants passed 2 a.m.

The extended hours would not have applied to liquor stores.

The committee instead decided to create a task force to examine the issue.

In a statement, Wiener wrote: "There's nothing radical about letting local communities decide for themselves whether to let their bars and nightclubs go later."

Currently, 20 cities — including New York, Miami and Las Vegas — allow alcohol sales past 2 a.m. The state Senate had already passed SB-384.

Opponents argued the passage of the bill would lead to more drunk driving crashes, emergency room admissions and alcohol-related assaults and injuries.

The California Restaurant Association, California Travel Association and the California Hotel & Lodging Association are among those that supported the bill.

Alcohol Justice, the California Alcohol Policy Alliance, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Los Angeles Drug and Alcohol Policy Alliance were among those against it.