Party till 4 a.m.? California lawmakers try to save dying downtowns

California nightlife could be getting a lifeline thanks to a new push to keep bars open until 4 a.m.

The effort to breathe boozy life back into the state’s struggling downtown comes courtesy of a pair of San Francisco lawmakers who want to let cities create special zones where bars and restaurants can serve drinks until 4 a.m., two hours past the legal closing time.

“The nightlife economy is responsible in our state without a doubt for tens of billions of dollars in revenue, hundreds of thousands of jobs,” Matt Haney, a Democratic state assemblyman who introduced the bill, told CBS News.

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the number of people visiting businesses in downtowns across the Golden State. California cities are recovering at different rates, but none have reached the levels saw in 2019.

“Getting people back out in the streets is key to the economic recovery of cities across California,” said Wiener, a Democratic state senator who introduced the bill along with Haney.

“By creating Entertainment Zones, we’re giving people a reason to go back to areas where recovery has been slow while creating a vital new revenue stream for bars and restaurants.”

Should the bill pass, bars would need to pay an extra $2,500 each year for a permit to sell alcohol until 4 a.m.

“When the sun goes down, there is so much that is economic and culturally important,” Haney told CBS News.