It is widely known that to serve alcohol, an establishment must have a license to do so. However, there is proposed legislation in California that would allow salons and barber shops to serve alcoholic beverages without this license. Naturally, there are those that are opposed to such a measure and they showed up in protest to urge the governor not to sign the bill into legislation.
The California Alcohol Policy Alliance staged simultaneous demonstrations in protest of AB 1322, also known as the DryBAR bill. This piece of legislation, if not vetoed by Governor Jerry Brown, would allow for the distribution of alcoholic beverages in California’s 42,000 barber shops and beauty salons. Further, this distribution would be allowed without the shops having licenses or regulations. The alcohol can be given away to customers without cost or the managers, owners, or employees undergoing Responsible Beverage Service training.
The demonstrations in opposition to this legislation took place in front of Drybar Brentwood in Los Angeles and the 18/8 Fine Men’s Salon in Lafayette, California. Both of these corporations have been vocal about their support of the proposed legislation.
Alcohol Justice estimates that the number of venues allowed to serve alcohol in California will increase by 41% if the bill is signed into law. This could spell an increase to the reportedly more than $22-billion in harm that is related to alcohol and the 10,000 alcohol-related deaths that occur annually.
One protester, 15-year-old Dayna Nunez, said that this legislation sets a bad example. “A lot of kids come to barbershops and salons and this bill will allow easy access and it’s a bad example,” she stated.
AlcoholJustice.org is urging the public to take action and to encourage Governor Jerry Brown and the legislature to protect the public by stopping AB1322.
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