(THE CENTER SQUARE) – A new California bill could allow for city and county-approved public drinking zones as some counties decline to enforce anti-public intoxication. State Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, who introduced the bill, says these new “entertainment zones” could “give bars and restaurants and the surrounding businesses a much-needed boost.” In Los Angeles County the move would catch state law up with District Attorney George Gascon policy against prosecuting public drinking, influence under a controlled substance, and public intoxication announced in December 2020.
“Getting people back out in the streets is key to the economic recovery of cities across California,” said Wiener in a statement. “By creating Entertainment Zones, we’re giving people a reason to go back to areas where recovery has been slow while creating a vital new revenue stream for bars and restaurants.”
California downtowns have faced some of the worst downtown post-lockdown recoveries of any cities in North America, with San Francisco reduced to just 32% of pre-pandemic business activity. Wiener passed an earlier “entertainment zone” bill targeted just at San Francisco in response to the city’s struggling business environment.
