06-03-2025
Extending last call hours for alcohol sales debated
Mar. 5—Supporters urged lawmakers to allow bars, restaurants, grocery and convenience stores to stay open later to sell alcohol along with two other changes that would further relax liquor laws.
But the state's restaurant lobby — along with state liquor enforcers — opposed the legislation, maintaining that business owners aren't clamoring for these changes.
Two-term state Rep. Jessica Grill, D-Manchester, said New Hampshire's last call hours of 1 a.m., for bars and 11:45 p.m. for retail stores are among the earliest in the nation.
Her legislation would raise those last call hours to 2 a.m. for bars and 1 a.m. for retail outlets, seven days a week.
The bill would permit a bar owner to ask the host city or town for permission to stay open until 3 a.m.
"I think as the Live Free or Die state, New Hampshire should be a leader for freedom and this bill allows our citizens to have more choice," Grill told the House Commerce Committee Wednesday.
The other reforms in Grill's bill (HB 529) would allow bars and restaurants to sell liquor for home delivery and permit bars to sell refillable beer containers.
She said 27 states already allow "cocktails to go" including Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut and Rhode Island.
Former Gov. Chris Sununu temporarily allowed bars to sell alcohol for home delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic when few patrons were visiting them in person.
Grill said the later hours might make New Hampshire a more attractive destination for weddings and/or receptions.
"I also believe nightlife plays an important societal role," Grill said.
Few restaurants choose home delivery of beer, wine
Corinne Benfield with Stay Work Play New Hampshire said her group's survey found that the lack of nightlife was the second reason behind cost of living why young people said they left New Hampshire.
This becomes an obstacle for a state that's already the second oldest in the nation, she testified.
"We are not just competing on jobs and housing with our neighboring states. It is a matter of quality of life as well," Benfield said.
Michael Somers, president and CEO of the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association, said his group opposes the extension of closing hours, supports the cocktails to go provision and has no position on refillable beer containers.
Under current state law, bar owners have been able to petition the local town to stay open until 2 a.m. and that's occurred only in Nashua, Laconia and Berlin, Somers said.
"There is no one in the industry actually asking for this. I don't see a crowd behind me," Somers said.
Most bar and restaurant owners don't have the staff to increase their serving hours, he said.
"Many restaurants have closed for two days and a number of them don't open for lunch anymore because they can't fill the shift," Somers said.
Mark Armaganian, director of liquor enforcement and licensing with the New Hampshire Liquor Commission, said the change would require spending nearly $230,000 a year more in payroll for investigators.
Currently, restaurants are allowed to send beer and wine home to patrons.
Among the state's 2,100 licensees, only 37 of them offer that option, Armaganian said.
"This is going to create the possibility of more negative incidents on the highways," he added.
What's next: The House committee must make a recommendation on the bill by March 27.
Prospects: Not great. The House approved a bill letting bars stay open later in 2024, but the Senate killed it.
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