If New Bill Passes, Some Cities Might Serve Alcohol Till 4 AM

If you’ve ever been in a bar past a certain time, then you’ve likely heard someone say, “Last call!” This means that it’s time to get those last drink orders in. While you many think that this has to do with the closing time of the business or the fact that your hard working servers and bartenders have something to do in the morning, you might be surprised to know that last call times are dictated by state law. A majority of states have last call times between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. Some states have last call times extending to 4 a.m. or 5 a.m. Some states, such as Nevada and Louisiana, allow bars and casinos to serve alcohol 24/7.

Your Central Valley reports that a California bill would allow some California cities to serve alcohol until 4 a.m.

Proposed legislation SB-58 is a bill which could allow bars in certain California cities to stay open and serve alcohol until 4 a.m. The co-owner of FAB, a nightclub in Fresno’s Tower District, Terry Story, supports the bill. He says that the law needs to treat people as adults.

However, opponents of the bill say that extending last call hours would result in more drunken crashes and more DUI arrests.

However, the other owners of FAB disagree. They say that bars are pushing people out onto the streets at 2 a.m. already. They also say that responsible bar owners and staff already watch for patrons who are too drunk to drive home.

As for FAB, they have their own Uber app. If a patron is too intoxicated to drive, they call them to give that patron a ride home. They even pay for it.

The last vote on the bill was in July. It is now going through committees. If passed, the new last call time would get a 5-year trial period.

Related Frequently Asked Questions