Wisconsin Legislature passes liquor law overhauls

The Republican-controlled Wisconsin Legislature passed a bipartisan measure on Tuesday to overhaul the state’s liquor laws and create new regulations for wedding barns.

Senate Republican Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu introduced the proposal in a surprise, last-minute amendment that gutted a bill to set standards for alcohol and tobacco retailers and replaced it with lengthy liquor law overhauls nearly identical to those passed by the state Assembly in June.

The measure, which passed the Senate in a 21-11 vote with bipartisan support and opposition, would create a new division within the state Department of Revenue to oversee and enforce liquor laws. It would also require special event venues, known generally as wedding barns, to either limit the number of times they serve alcohol in a year or obtain a liquor license.