Arkansas Senate Rejects Bill to Expand Public Drinking to Dry Counties

Alcohol, Public Drinking, ,

On Wednesday H.B. 1228 failed to pass in the Arkansas Senate.

This bad bill by Rep. Lee Johnson (R – Greenwood) and Sen. Breanne Davis (R – Russellville) lets cities in dry counties approve public drinking in “entertainment districts” adjacent to private clubs that sell alcohol.

Currently, cities and towns in wet counties can approve public drinking in entertainment districts.

H.B. 1228 would expand Arkansas’ alcohol laws to let people carry and consume alcohol on city streets and sidewalks in entertainment districts in dry counties.

H.B. 1228 failed in the Arkansas Senate with 12 votes in favor of it and 19 votes against it; four senators did not vote.

Sen. Davis moved to expunged the vote by which the bill failed — which may indicate she plans to make another attempt at passing this bad bill.

Below is a breakdown of Wednesday’s senate vote on H.B. 1228, the bill expanding public drinking to dry counties in Arkansas.

Voted FOR H.B. 1228

  • L. Chesterfield
  • B. Davis
  • L. Eads
  • Elliott
  • J. English
  • T. Garner
  • J. Hendren
  • K. Ingram
  • G. Leding
  • M. Pitsch
  • C. Tucker
  • D. Wallace

Voted AGAINST H.B. 1228

  • B. Ballinger
  • Beckham
  • Bledsoe
  • A. Clark
  • J. Dismang
  • Flippo
  • Gilmore
  • K. Hammer
  • Hester
  • Hickey
  • Hill
  • M. Johnson
  • B. Johnson
  • Rapert
  • Rice
  • G. Stubblefield
  • J. Sturch
  • D. Sullivan
  • Teague

Did Not Vote

  • Caldwell
  • S. Flowers
  • Irvin
  • B. Sample

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Arkansas House Approves Bill to Expand Public Drinking to Dry Counties

Alcohol, Public Drinking, ,

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

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Bill Would Expand Public Drinking in Arkansas

Legislature, Public Drinking, ,

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.

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