MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Fourteen-year-olds in Wisconsin may just serve alcohol to seated shoppers in bars and eating places beneath a invoice circulated for cosponsors Monday through a couple of Republican state lawmakers.
Beneath present regulation, simplest staff age 18 and above can serve alcohol to shoppers in Wisconsin. The invoice would increase that to staff ages 14 to 17. They might simplest serve to seated shoppers, no longer drinkers who’re on the bar itself.
The present age prohibit on serving alcohol “reasons body of workers problems because of an established order’s underage staff simplest with the ability to do a part of their activity,” the invoice sponsors Sen. Rob Stafsholt, of New Richmond, and Rep. Chanz Inexperienced, of Grandview, mentioned in a memo circulated Monday in the hunt for cosponsors.
They mentioned their concept “creates a easy answer” to the state’s body of workers scarcity issues within the meals and beverage trade. The invoice calls for the approved operator of the bar or eating place be at the premises and supervising.
Even if nobody beneath the age of 21 can legally drink alcohol, the ones beneath 21 — together with minors of any age — in Wisconsin can drink in bars and eating places if they’re with their oldsters.
If the proposal passes, Wisconsin would have the bottom age prohibit for employees allowed to serve alcohol, consistent with the Nationwide Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
The measure is some distance from turning into regulation. It will have to go the Senate and Meeting, each managed through Republicans, and be signed through Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. His spokesperson Britt Cudaback mocked the proposal Monday, list a large number of tasks Evers has proposed to deal with the state’s body of workers scarcity factor together with construction extra housing and investment faculties, sooner than forwarding a message detailing the Republican invoice.