More drinking for New Hampshire?

CONCORD -- Gov. Maggie Hassan is "inclined" to sign into law legislation finalized Wednesday that would give cities and towns the option of authorizing bars and restaurants to serve alcohol in their communities until 2 a.m.

The House concurred with the Senate version of House Bill 575 on Wednesday by a vote of 220-109, avoiding a committee of conference.

The version of the bill passed by the House earlier in the session would have changed the "last call" hour for restaurants serving alcohol and bars statewide until 2 a.m., but would have allowed city and town governing bodies to "opt out" of the law by by adopting ordinances prohibiting sales by "on-premise licensees" after 1 a.m.

The Senate version is, instead, an "opt in" approach.

After the vote Hassan spokesman Marc Goldberg said, "As the bill as amended now allows local communities to decide whether or not to opt-in to the new last call, the Governor is inclined to sign the legislation."

Rep. Steve Vaillancourt, R-Manchester, called on the House to reject the Senate version and set up a committee of conference to negotiate a compromise. He said the House version was "saner" and the House should not "roll over."

But Rep. Ed Butler, R-Hart's Location, an innkeeper, supported concurrence, saying the Senate version "improves the options given to our towns and cities."

UL

But watch out. At the same time they want to pass a new law so that if you have more than one drink and then drive, you will be DWI. Is it .05 they want to lower it to? Is it .08 now?