WEST HOLLYWOOD—The West Hollywood City Council during its regular meeting on June 27, voted to adopt a Resolution in support of SB 930 (that was introduced by Senator Scott Wiener) that allows the participation of West Hollywood in the extended hours of alcohol sales pilot program referenced in the bill. Wiener represents San Francisco and parts of San Mateo County.

The item to adopt a Resolution in support of SB 930 was approved in a 3-2 vote with a motion by Councilmember John D’Amico, seconded by Councilmember John M. Erickson, with the “yes” vote of Councilmember Lindsey P. Horvath, noting the “no” votes of Mayor Lauren Meister and Mayor Pro Tempore Sepi Shyne.

Some details about SB 930 and the City Resolution include:

-The West Hollywood City Council did approve a Resolution in support of SB 930.

-The City of West Hollywood did not approve or express support for immediately allowing establishments extended hours of alcohol sales until 4 a.m. as has been reported by some media outlets.

-SB 930, if passed and signed by the Governor, would, beginning January 1, 2025 and before January 2, 2030, require the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to conduct a pilot program that would authorize the department to issue an additional hours license to an on-sale licensee located in a qualified city that would authorize, with or without conditions, the selling, giving, or purchasing of alcoholic beverages at the licensed premises between the hours of 2 a.m. and 4 a.m., upon completion of specified requirements by the qualified city in which the licensee is located.

-If SB 930 is approved by the California State Legislature and signed by the Governor, the City of West Hollywood would be included as a qualified city in a proposed pilot program that will provide the City with local control to extend hours of alcohol sales. The pilot program would also apply to the Cities of Cathedral City, Coachella, Fresno, Oakland, Palm Springs, and to the City and County of San Francisco.

-The bill is now in the California State Assembly Appropriations Committee.

-As amended on June 2, 2022, SB 930 provides ample discretion to qualifying cities referenced in the bill. Each qualifying city, including the City of West Hollywood, will be able to design a local extended hours program in which the City will be able to establish guidelines, define specific areas in which establishments could operate extended hours, develop an application and review process, etc. As the bill defers to cities to decide how to shape the extended hours program, West Hollywood could establish a program with its own unique requirements.

Senator Wiener’s bill states if approved:

“Beginning January 1, 2025, and before January 2, 2030, in a city that has additional serving hours pursuant to Section 25634, any on-sale licensee, or agent or employee of the licensee, who sells or gives to any person any alcoholic beverage or any person who knowingly purchases any alcoholic beverage between the hours of 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. of the same day, is guilty of a misdemeanor.”

Link to current language of Senator Wiener’s bill, is available here.

For additional details about West Hollywood’s Legislative Affairs efforts visit www.weho.org/legislative. For more information contact Hernán Molina, West Hollywood’s Governmental Affairs Liaison, at hmolina@weho.org or at (323) 848-6364. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing call TTY (323) 848-6496.