Local communities will now have more control over which businesses receive liquor licenses under a bill signed into law Aug. 2 by Gov. Bruce Rauner.

Under the Liquor Control Act of 1934, the Prohibition-era law that governs Illinois’ system of liquor licensure, businesses located within 100 feet of a school, church or hospital are prohibited from obtaining liquor licenses. Previously, the only way businesses could avoid this restriction was through the passage of a bill in the General Assembly specifically granting them an exemption, followed by the governor’s signature.

Senate Bill 2436 gives local officials the authority to exempt businesses from the state’s liquor law, rather than leaving Springfield to grant special carveouts to politically connected businesses. According to state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, “Sixty-eight pages of the 72-page liquor control act are exemptions.”

In January, Rauner vetoed a bill that would have exempted one business from the liquor license restriction. Instead, the governor issued a letter urging lawmakers to reform the state’s broken liquor law. Unfortunately, lawmakers overrode Rauner’s veto the following month.