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 Chicagoans may no longer be able to
purchase a 40-ounce bottle of beer or malt liquor after midnight.
A proposal to ban the sale of single servings of alcohol at stores between 12
a.m. and closing time has passed out of the Chicago City Council’s License and
Consumer Protection Committee, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The proposed
ordinance prohibits post-midnight sales of single servings containing less than
25 ounces of wine or liquor, and less than 41 ounces of beer or malt liquor.
 Alderman Brian Hopkins, 2nd Ward, introduced the proposal. Hopkins said the
purpose of the ordinance is to deter late-night panhandling outside package
liquor stores and to stem public drunkenness and fights, the Sun-Times
explained. However, the ban would not apply to all businesses that sell alcohol.
It would only affect stores, not restaurants or bars. Hopkins said that while
bar and restaurant staff are equipped to deal with intoxicated patrons, that
isn’t true of retailers, according to the Sun-Times.
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When another alderman asked how the ban would be
enforced, he was informed it would be up to the police.
Now that the proposal has made it out of committee, it must be
passed by the full City Council to become law.
While Hopkins and area residents’ concern over
public intoxication is understandable, it is unclear whether this
ban will do much to stop it. This proposal wouldn’t prevent people
from simply buying larger containers or greater quantities of
alcohol, such as a six-pack of beer or a fifth of liquor.
The ban also means Chicago police will have to take time from
enforcing other laws to make sure retailers are following the
ordinance – a questionable use of police resources.
At its core, the ban is also unfair to stores. If bars and
restaurants are allowed to freely sell alcohol past midnight,
retailers shouldn’t have undue restrictions placed on them.
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