SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The Utah-based Mormon church appears supportive of a proposal to overhaul liquor laws in the state.
Eric Hawkins, a spokesman for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said in a statement Monday that the bill appears to make “an admirable attempt” to address concerns about underage drinking and alcohol abuse and includes appropriate protections.
The bill, unveiled Monday, allows restaurants to remove a barrier from around the area where they mix and prepare drinks and instead wall off a part of the restaurant around the bar where only those over 21 can sit.
The church, to which a majority of Utah residents and lawmakers belong, plays a make-or-break role in setting state liquor policy. Church officials say alcohol is a moral and public safety issue and in the past, have said Utah’s laws are working.