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New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
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In the News
Bars, Mockler to fight city-parish drink specials ban
Baton Rouge Business Report
December 14, 2005
A brouhaha over late-night brew could begin at this evening's Metro Council meeting. A number of bars and the area's largest beer distributor have alerted council members that a proposed ban on late-night drink specials is unconstitutional. The proposed ban, which has already been approved by a Metro Council committee, was pushed by LSU's Campus-Community Coalition for Change and Mothers Against Drunk Driving. In a letter to council members, attorney Stephen Babock, representing the liquor retailers, asserts the ban would amount to price fixing, which is unconstitutional. Among other things, the proposed ban would stop drinks below "retail price" after 8 p.m. and forbid games involving liquor. MADD and the coalition contend the drink specials cause binge drinking.
Writes Babcock, "Even if one assumes the goal is to reduce alcohol consumption, the ends cannot justify the means of price fixing by the council. By this ordinance, the council is overstepping its bounds and attempting to regulate the consumption of alcohol by interfering with a businessperson's right to set his or her own price."
His clients on the issue are Mockler Beverage, the region's Anheuser-Busch distributor, Fred's, Ivar's, The Station, The Texas Club, Triple A, Walk-Ons, Roux House, Happy's Irish Pub, Reggie's, JL's, The Tiger, The Caterie, Brightside Bar and Grill, Mellow Mushroom, Pucker's, Slinky's and Rotollo's.
