ST. PAUL — Northern Minnesota lawmakers authored liquor bills that may be included in a larger omnibus package later this session.
One of the bills, by Rep. Matt Bliss, R-Pennington, would allow counties to issue seasonal liquor licenses to resorts, including those too small to have a full-size restaurant.
"A lot of the smaller places that have a smaller lodge, maybe seats 10 or 12 people and not a real fancy kitchen, they're not allowed to get the seasonal license," Bliss said in a Tuesday, March 17, committee hearing.
“It just makes sense to allow them to get a seasonal license as well, since they're only open five or six months a year.”
Bliss owns and operates the Point Bliss Resort on Lake Kitchi, about 20 miles east of Bemidji.
Rep. Ron Kresha, R-Little Falls, authored a bill that would allow wine transfers between liquor stores owned by the same entity, and Rep. Josh Heintzeman, R-Nisswa, introduced a special liquor law for the city of Brainerd to issue a liquor license to the Northern Pacific Center.
Another bill would permit nursing homes and assisted living facilities to organize happy hour events for residents without a liquor license, so long as the facility notifies the state.
“Assisted living facilities are already accountable to over 500 regulations governing the health, safety and well-being of residents in our care,” testified Abigail Dahl, the executive director of Amira Choice, a licensed care facility in Champlin.
“Requiring a liquor license is simply red tape without value. It is duplicative, not protective.”
Resident Anita LeBrun also testified in support of the bill, stating she and her friends like happy hour as much as any of the lawmakers.
“Over a shared drink, we get to reminisce about parts of our life: military service, raising a family or the loss of a friend,” LeBrun said. “We’re celebrating the golden phase of our lives.”
The House Commerce Committee laid all four bills over Tuesday. Rep. Bidal Duran of Bemidji’s bill, a special liquor law to permit a liquor license for the Baudette Arena Association, is among the 13 liquor bills incorporated into the liquor omnibus package heading to the House floor.
Lawmakers in both the House and Senate are pushing to get bills favorably out of committee before the March 27 deadlines.
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