SALT LAKE CITY — Utah’s liquor laws are about to change.
State lawmakers passed two major bills last week that require only a signature from Gov. Gary Herbert to become law.
The first is a change to distance and barrier requirements for restaurants that serve alcohol. Lawmakers passed HB442, which reduces the distance required between such businesses and churches, schools and parks to 300 feet.
The bill also gives restaurants an option to remove the so-called "Zion curtain," a 7-foot barrier that shields alcoholic drinks from being made or dispensed. Those restaurants can either create a 42-inch half wall that separates the bars and dining areas or enforce a 10-foot buffer between the bars and seats. Having a bar in a separate room is also an option.
In a separate bill, HB155, the Legislature set the state's legal blood-alcohol content for drivers to .05 percent — the lowest in the nation.
Senate Majority Whip Stuart Adams, R-Layton, sponsored the bill and said that lowering the BAC from .08 to .05 could save 63 lives every year. Critics say the change could hurt the way tourists view Utah.
The 2017 bills mark the latest significant changes to alcohol laws in Utah. Here's a look at some of the others:
1919
The 18th Amendment marked the beginning of Prohibition, calling for the banning of liquor within the United States. It was ratified on Jan. 16, 1919, and took effect on Jan. 17, 1920, according to Laws.com.
1933
States decided the 18th Amendment provided more negatives than positives, leading them to repeal Prohibition and set their own alcohol laws. The 18th Amendment was the only amendment to be repealed, according to Laws.com.
Utah was the 36th state to vote to repeal the 18th Amendment. The vote pushed the repeal of Prohibition over the hurdle, ending the national ban on alcohol. Utah was one of 29 “dry states” that had to figure out how alcohol would be reintroduced to the local culture.
1983
Utah Legislature passed a law that required beer tax to jump from $4.12 to $11 for every 31-gallon barrel. The law called for the extra funds to be allocated to substance abuse programs.
1999
The state Legislature passed HB18, requiring all cities and counties to submit an annual report of beer tax revenue to the Utah Substance Abuse Advisory Council, which would decide how that money was distributed and used. The law also called for the council to cancel funding for cities that failed to issue a report. In those cases, the extra money was given to the Utah Department of Public Safety.
2002
SB30 called for cities and counties to receiver either 40 percent of the beer excise tax or $4.35 million, whichever was greater, according to Utah’s legislative history website. It also said municipalities without law enforcement couldn't receive beer tax money.
According to USA Today, the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control relaxed Utah’s liquor laws in advance of the 2002 Winter Olympics, leading to a slew of changes in 2003.
2003
The post-Olympics changes to alcohol laws in Utah included:
• Making it easier to visit private clubs by lowering membership fees from $5 to $4.
• Making drinks stronger. The maximum amount of alcohol allowed jumped from 2 to 2.75 ounces, making all drinks legal in Utah, according to USA Today.
• Allowing clubs to stay open until 1 a.m.
The Legislature also passed a law that year to raise the per-barrel state beer tax to from $11 to $12.80.
2006
SB58 added funds to the Alcoholic Beverage Enforcement and Treatment Restricted Account to finance a campaign to warn Utahns about the "harmful effects of overconsumption of alcoholic beverages by adults and alcohol consumption by minors.”
2009
Then-Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. signed a law that allowed restaurants to remove glass partitions between servers and customers at restaurant bars. Servers now were able to set drinks directly in front of customers instead of having to come from behind the bar to hand over an order. Future restaurants, however, would have to prepare alcohol away from people’s view.
Bars and clubs were also no longer forced to charge cover fees.
2011
The Legislature passed SB314, changing “liquor” to the term “alcohol products” in Utah law to close what lawmakers saw as a loophole that allowed beer to be sold at a discount.
2013
The Alcoholic Beverage Control Act introduced barriers to separate restaurant bartenders from customers.
2015
The Driving Under the Influence and Reckless Driving law prevented a person from drinking alcohol while operating a car or while the vehicle is stopped on a highway. The law also made it illegal for drivers and passengers to travel with open containers in a vehicle.