House OKs Wine at Some Theaters: Measure That Would Let Flicks Continue Alcohol Sales Sent to Senate

By Shawna Gamache, The Idaho Statesman, Boise

Mar. 31–The House voted narrowly Thursday to let theaters like Boise’s The Flicks keep serving beer and wine.

The bill still awaits Senate approval and sponsoring Rep. Wendy Jaquet said she thinks Senate passage will be a challenge.

Representatives voted 35-29 for the bill that lets four Idaho movie theaters already selling beer and wine for decades keep doing it.

Last year, an Idaho State Police investigation found that, even though the theaters had been getting liquor licenses, nothing in Idaho law allowed them to do it.

ISP asked lawmakers to resolve the conflict.

“We’re waiting to give the policymakers the chance to decide on this before we take any action,” said Dan Charboneau, director of the ISP.

An initial House bill that would have let local governments decide on movie theaters service beer and wine died on the House floor over concerns that too many theaters would start engaging in the practice and families wouldn’t have an alcohol-free option.

The new bill provides an exemption for the Flicks, Ketchum’s Ski Time and Magic Lantern Cinema, and the Sun Valley Opera House and prohibits any other theaters from serving alcohol.

Many lawmakers said they were concerned that other theaters would find a way around the law in order to sell beer and wine.

“It raises issues of uniformity in our laws,” said GOP Rep. Russ Mathews of Idaho Falls.

In Oregon, certain movie theaters, like the eight owned by the McMenamins chain, sell beer, wine and spirits and are open only to patrons 21 and over.

Large-box chains in the area, like those run by Regal, the largest chain in the Northwest, continue to be alcohol-free.

Rep. Cliff Bayer, who voted against the first bill, said the new bill was a good compromise.

“Family entertainment is not in the least way affected by this,” said Bayer, R-Boise. “The big theaters, the Edwards, are not going to do it.”

Lawmakers debated the bill for nearly an hour. Those on both sides accused the other of hypocrisy.

There also was comparison of theaters to rodeos, bowling alleys, restaurants and sporting events.

“If you want to exclude it and make the world pure, let’s get rid of it at ballparks and rodeos and all family gatherings,” said Democratic Rep. Mike Mitchell of Lewiston.

But others said the darkness of theaters made them less like a sporting event and more like a bar.

The bill will be considered Monday morning in Senate State Affairs and will be sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Clint Stennett of Ketchum.

The meeting will begin at 8 a.m.

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