HB 25-1237

House Bill 25-1237, also known as the Soft Closing of Alcohol Beverage Establishments, allows bars and restaurants in Colorado to let customers continue drinking alcohol they purchased on-site from 2 a.m. to 3 a.m., but only if local governments opt into this rule. During this hour, these establishments must stop selling new drinks by 2:30 a.m. and remove all alcoholic beverages from the premises by 3 a.m. This bill is now signed into law, meaning it has been approved and will be enforced in any Colorado city or county that chooses to adopt it.

Official Summary

Current law prohibits a person licensed to sell alcohol beverages at the retail level (licensee) from selling, serving, or distributing malt, vinous, or spirituous liquors between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. The bill allows a licensee to allow customers to consume malt, vinous, or spirituous liquors from 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. on the licensed premises if the licensee: Stops selling malt, vinous, or spiritous liquors and closes out all open charges no later than 2:30 a.m.; and Removes all purchased malt, vinous, or spirituous liquors from the consumption area of the licensed premises no later than 3 a.m. The bill only applies to a licensee if the county, city and county, or municipality that the licensee is operating within adopts a law opting into the application of the bill to their jurisdiction. The local law may be more strict than the bill. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)