Hawaii: Liquor commission votes to kill Maui County’s new round-the-clock liquor sales

Source: Hawaii News Now

July 13th 2017

The Maui County Liquor Commission unanimously voted Wednesday to repeal a law that allows liquor sales 24 hours a day.

The measure first passed in March upsetting critics who felt it would lead to an increase of drunk driving deaths.

After months of lobbying and testifying, opponents are calling this a victory.

“We were absolutely elated,” Ashlee Chapman of the Underage Drinking Prevention Coalition said. “We’re very very thankful to the commission for making the decision to put the community’s safety first. They did hear us.”

Under previous laws, alcohol sales were only allowed between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. Hotels could serve alcohol until 4 a.m., but bars and restaurants separate from hotels were cut off from selling alcohol at 2 a.m.

Mayor Alan Awakawa will now have to sign off on the repeal.