May 8, 2008 10:34 pm US/Central
Leg. OKs Extended Bar Hours For RNC, On To Gov.
ST. PAUL (AP) ―
-
-
The Minnesota Legislature is due to vote on a compromise bill that would let local governments in the seven-county Twin Cities area allow liquor dispensing until 4 a.m. during the convention's run.
AP
Beer taps, wine corkscrews and martini shakers should get an extra workout during the Republican National Convention thanks to state legislation that pushes bar closing time out by two hours.
The Minnesota Legislature approved a compromise bill Thursday that would let local governments in the seven-county Twin Cities area allow liquor dispensing until 4 a.m. during the convention's run.
The current cutoff time for bars is 2 a.m.
From August 31 to September 5, bars could stay open the extra time if their cities give the OK. The local governments would be allowed to charge special permit fees of up to $2,500.
The Senate approved the bill on a 42-20 vote and the House fell in line with a 112-22 vote, forwarding the bill to Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
Pawlenty, a prominent supporter of presumptive GOP nominee John McCain, said he won't get in the way.
"No good happens after bar closing time," he said. "But for one week, for this purpose, I think it's fine."
-------
According to GOP.com, the Republican Party was born in the early 1850's by anti-slavery activists and individuals who believed that government should grant western lands to settlers free of charge. In 1860, Abraham Lincoln was elected as the first Republican Party president.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
