Counties Consider Tightening Bar Hours

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Credit Dani Lurie/Flickr

Essex County, New York is joining a number of counties and communities considering reducing the number of hours bars can stay open.

A resolution from the Essex Country Board of Supervisors Public Safety Committee is recommending that closing time for bars change from 4 a.m. to 2 a.m. The two-hour change was recommended by Town of Chesterfield Democratic Supervisor Gerry Morrow.

The Essex County proposal was tabled pending public input. Essex County Prevention Team member Mac MacDevitt provided the supervisors with data on drinking and closing times.

In Warren County, New York, changing bar hours could be tricky.  After a violent incident in Glens Falls, Mayor Jack Diamond has asked county supervisors to scale back closing times to 2 am.  But Lake George officials are not amenable to the change and want to keep it at 4 a.m. Republican Supervisor Fred Monroe says the Legislative and Rules Committee considered the issues.

Saratoga Springs has unsuccessfully considered changing last call several times, including last year, before the county sided against the city council.
The Springfield, Massachusetts’ License Commission is considering a proposal to close bars and restaurants at 1 a.m.