Arkansas House Approves Bill to Expand Public Drinking to Dry Counties

On Thursday the Arkansas House of Representatives voted to advance a bill that expands public drinking in dry counties.

Currently, cities and towns in wet counties can approve public drinking in commercial neighborhoods where bars and restaurants are located.

H.B. 1228 by Rep. Lee Johnson (R – Greenwood) and Sen. Breanne Davis (R – Russellville) effectively makes it possible for many cities in dry counties to approve public drinking in these so-called “entertainment districts.”

Public drinking doesn’t attract new businesses or bolster the economy. It hurts neighborhoods and families.

This bad bill passed with 54 votes. It now goes to the Arkansas Senate.

Below is a breakdown of the vote on H.B. 1228 in the Arkansas House.

Voted For The Bill

  • Barker
  • Beatty Jr.
  • M. Berry
  • Boyd
  • Breaux
  • Brown
  • Bryant
  • Carr
  • Cavenaugh
  • Christiansen
  • Clowney
  • Coleman
  • A. Collins
  • Cozart
  • Crawford
  • Dalby
  • M. Davis
  • Ennett
  • Eubanks
  • Evans
  • K. Ferguson
  • D. Ferguson
  • Fielding
  • C. Fite
  • V. Flowers
  • D. Garner
  • Godfrey
  • M. Gray
  • Haak
  • Hillman
  • M. Hodges
  • Hollowell
  • Hudson
  • L. Johnson
  • Lowery
  • Maddox
  • Magie
  • McCollum
  • McCullough
  • McNair
  • Penzo
  • Perry
  • Pilkington
  • Ray
  • Richardson
  • Scott
  • Slape
  • Speaks
  • Springer
  • Tollett
  • Underwood
  • Warren
  • Watson
  • D. Whitaker

Voted Against the Bill

  • Berry
  • Cloud
  • C. Cooper
  • Deffenbaugh
  • Dotson
  • Fortner
  • Gazaway
  • Gonzales
  • Lynch
  • J. Mayberry
  • M. McElroy
  • McKenzie
  • Miller
  • Milligan
  • Payton
  • Rye
  • B. Smith
  • Vaught
  • Wing
  • Womack
  • Wooten

Voted “Present” on the Bill

  • Bragg
  • Brooks
  • Eaves
  • L. Fite
  • Furman
  • Hawks
  • Holcomb
  • Love
  • Lundstrum
  • McClure
  • McGrew
  • S. Meeks
  • Nicks

Did Not Vote

  • F. Allen
  • Beck
  • Bentley
  • Jean
  • Jett
  • Ladyman
  • Murdock
  • Richmond
  • Shepherd
  • S. Smith
  • Tosh
  • Wardlaw

Bill Would Expand Public Drinking in Arkansas

On Thursday Rep. Lee Johnson (R – Greenwood) and Sen. Breanne Davis (R – Russellville) filed H.B. 1228. The bill effectively makes it possible for many cities in dry counties to approve public drinking in “entertainment districts.”

Currently, cities and towns in wet counties can approve public drinking in commercial neighborhoods where bars and restaurants are located.

Under H.B. 1228, city councils could permit public drinking in neighborhoods where private clubs are located.

Arkansas law lets private clubs serve alcohol — even if the private club is located in a dry county.

H.B. 1228 also changes state law regarding where the city has to be located in order to authorize public drinking. If there are entities in the county that are authorized to sell alcohol — like private clubs — then H.B. 1228 says the city council can permit public drinking.

Taken together, these two changes to the law likely would let cities in dry counties permit public drinking districts around private clubs.

Family Council has opposed public drinking for years, because it raises serious concerns about public safety.

Public drinking doesn’t attract new businesses or bolster the economy.

It hurts neighborhoods and families.

Arkansans ought to stay away from any proposal that would expand public drinking in their communities.

Voters Reject Public Drinking in Eureka Springs

Last week voters in Eureka Springs rejected a proposal to legalize public drinking in part of downtown, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

This is really good news.

Act 812 of 2019 lets cities create “entertainment districts” where alcohol can be carried and consumed publicly on streets and sidewalks.

These districts can be permanent or temporary under Act 812.

In February the Eureka Springs City Council decided to authorize a semi-permanent public drinking district in town, but the issue ultimately ended up being placed on the November 2020 ballot for voters to decide.

As we have said time and time again, public drinking is a scourge on the community.

It raises serious concerns about drunk driving and public safety.

Public drinking doesn’t attract new businesses or bolster the economy.

It hurts neighborhoods and families.

Arkansans ought to stay away from any proposal that would legalize public drinking in their communities.

Photo by Photolitherland at English Wikipedia [CC BY 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)]