Wisconsin bars and taverns will get some extra breathing room when Daylight Saving Time begins. State law requires bars to close at 2:30 am, but that could mean an hour of lost business when we move the clocks ahead on March 11th this year. Legislation approved in the State Senate Tuesday would change that by allowing bars to close their doors at 3:30 instead, after the clocks have been moved ahead one hour.
State Senator Roger Breske (D-Eland) is the sponsor of the bill, which lets bars stay open through the time change. He says it's a common sense way to protect bar owners from being charged by police for staying open later, while still allowing them to stay open for the same length of time. Breske says it also helps to clear up any of the confusion that usually comes with the time change each year.
The bill received unanimous approval in the Senate, and now heads to the Assembly.