Bill expanding alcohol sales at universities on its way to Rauner

The News-Gazette

By Tom Kacich

May 24, 2016

SPRINGFIELD, IL — A bill that would permit all public universities and community colleges in Illinois to serve or sell liquor at public events that are not student-related cleared the Illinois Senate Tuesday.

Currently four universities, including the University of Illinois, and four community colleges have exemptions that allow alcohol to be served on campus in some circumstances.

The bill approved 54-0 in the Senate Tuesday (HB 4820) would require university and college governing boards to issue a written policy that could in some cases expand current exemptions.

“This requires the U of I to come up with a new policy for liquor within the next six months, where I would hope they take into account that it doesn’t seem to be really fair to me that the rich guys get to eat their cheese and drink their wine in the expensive suites but the rest of us plebes can’t have a beer,” said Rose.

In preparing their written policies, universities are asked to take seven issues into consideration:

— Whether the event is a student-related activity.

— Whether the physical setting is conducive to the control of liquor sales.

— The ability of the event coordinator to ensure that the sale and serving of alcohol and the demeanor of the participants are in accordance with state law and university policies.

— The anticipated attendees at the event and the expected proportion of those over 21 years of age to those under 21.

— The ability of vendors to prevent the sale or distribution of alcohol to those under 21.

— Whether the event prohibits participants from taking alcoholic beverages from the venue.

— Whether the event prohibits participants from bringing their own alcoholic beverages to the venue.

The bill passed Tuesday without any debate.

“You wouldn’t be able to have this at a sorority- or fraternity-related function. It can’t be a completely student-related event,” Rose said. “But at a ball game, where you have people from the community coming in to an event open to the community, it would be allowed,” said Rose. “We’ll see what the U of I does with it. It clearly wasn’t on their radar screen earlier this spring.

“My hope is that while they’re putting this policy on paper that they would realize that there does seem to be a fundamental unfairness that the rich guys can have a glass of wine while the guys working at the shop can’t have a beer.

The UI was neutral on the legislation, said spokesman Tom Hardy.

All area senators voted for the measure, which last month passed the House, 67-38. It now goes to Gov. Bruce Rauner for his consideration.