Bars in Fresno, San Francisco, and several other cities in California could be allowed to stay open until 4 a.m. under a new proposal brought on by two Bay Area lawmakers.
State Sen. Scott Wiener and Assemblymember Matt Haney, both Democrats representing San Francisco, introduced Senate Bill 930 at a briefing on Friday. The measure would allow seven pilot cities across the state to extend alcohol sales at bars, nightclubs and restaurants from 2 a.m. to as late as 4 a.m.
“California’s one-size-fits-all approach to nightlife — requiring all alcohol sales to end at 2 am, whether in downtown LA or a rural small town — makes no sense. It’s time to allow cities that want to extend their nightlife the ability to do so,” Wiener said in a statement.
“We’ve lost so many historic venues and bars, it is going to take years to rebuild,” Haney said. “Extending hours to 4am even a few days a week will save historic businesses, create thousands of jobs, and support arts, culture and community.”
Other cities in the pilot program include Oakland, West Hollywood, Coachella, Cathedral City and Palm Springs.
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