The Fight to Extend Last Call Falls Short

Sep 16,2019

Last weekend, the California State Assembly shot down a proposed bill that would have extended “last call” from 2 AM to 3 AM in 10 California cities. According to the specific details provided, three of these cities were located in the Coachella Valley.

Essentially, last call signifies the last point in the evening when patrons of a bar, lounge or restaurant are allowed to buy alcoholic drinks. Once last call has passed, it is illegal for bars to sell alcoholic beverages to anyone, regardless of their age.

Palm Springs and Last Call Reform

The intent behind the bill was relatively straightforward. Advocates of last call reform argued that an extension would be a huge boon for businesses, particularly in areas such as Palm Springs which feature a bustling nightlife. Support for the bill has also been nurtured by the continued growth of platforms such as Uber and Lyft, which help ensure that individuals can get home safely from a night out without resorting to driving themselves. These ride sharing platforms have essentially helped to undermine one of the chief arguments used by critics of the bill, or the idea that prolonging last call would dramatically increase the number of vehicular and pedestrian accidents that are occurring.

If this new legislation were to pass, it would represent the first extension of nightlife-related policies in California in well over a century. That being said, the credibility of the legislation was damaged significantly when the LA City Council decided to pass their own resolution opposing its passage. Following this significant move, most policymakers and industry insiders were not surprised when the the bill was finally rejected.

Although it remains to be seen if there will be another attempt to tackle this issue, the current “last call” rules remain in place for the foreseeable future.

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DISCLAIMER: The Walter Clark Legal Group blog is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended as legal or medical advice. References to laws are based on general legal practices and vary by location. Information reported comes from secondary news sources. We do handle these types of cases, but whether or not the individuals and/or loved ones involved in these accidents choose to be represented by a law firm is a personal choice we respect. Should you find any of the information incorrect, we welcome you to contact us with corrections.