Restaurant owners have won House backing of a measure making sure they can offer drink specials and live entertainment without running afoul of state alcohol permits. The bill, approved 63-29 today, arose from disputes between restaurants and state alcohol Commissioner Murphy Painter, including one involving Chelsea’s Café on Perkins Road. Chelsea’s was fined and temporarily lost its liquor license at the end of April after Painter claimed the restaurant operated as a bar because it shut down its kitchens after 10 p.m., then had live music with only liquor being served. Chelsea’s is now keeping its kitchen open late at night.
The bill by Sen. Lydia Jackson, D-Shreveport, bill would allow places such as Chelsea’s to keep their restaurant licenses if they meet requirements that include drawing at least half their income from the sale of food and nonalcoholic drinks. It still needs Senate passage of some House language changes. Opponents included members of the New Orleans delegation who said they feared the bill would open the door to neighborhood restaurants operating as bars with live entertainment, causing noise and parking problems in residential areas.
