Extended Bar Hours: Dangers for States, Cities, & Communities
In the last few years, states have introduced legislation to allow on-premises alcohol retailers to remain open beyond current closing times. Typically, retailers seeking extended hours are bars with closing times of 2:00 a.m. Developers, the hospitality and alcohol industries, and some legislators tout this type of change in alcohol regulation as a boon for economic development and tax revenue, but the evidence shows otherwise.
This policy change will likely increase alcohol-related harm and burden local communities with costs from responding to that harm. Extending bar hours raises public safety concerns, endangers public health, and pits law enforcement and communities against the well-resourced industries
that stand to profit from increasing alcohol availability.
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