Wisconsin Bill to Regulate Wedding Barns and Overhaul State Liquor Laws Wins Bipartisan Support

A proposal to regulate wedding barns in Wisconsin as part of an overhaul of the state’s liquor laws won bipartisan support Thursday, advancing as the Republican-controlled Legislature moves swiftly to enact the sweeping bill.

An Assembly committee voted 12-2 to pass the measure just two days after a public hearing at which owners of wedding barns across the state said the proposed changes would put them out of business. The bill, which has been years in the making, was brought by Republican legislative leaders and agreed to by stakeholders with a wide array of interests. It affects every level of the state’s alcohol industry — governing the licensing, producing, selling and distribution of beer, wine and liquor.

The bill also attempts to resolve questions about primarily rural facilities that host weddings and other events where alcohol is served. The facilities, which have grown in popularity in recent years and operated in a legal gray area, currently do not need a liquor license to operate.