Fairbanks bar owner reacts to new teen alcohol server law

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTUU/KTVF) - Senate Bill 15 went into law without the governor’s signature in late April.

The law allows 18 to 20-year-olds to serve alcohol at licensed establishments, including restaurants, breweries, wineries, distilleries, hotels, motels, and large resorts.

The law also includes a requirement that displayed signs must warn that alcohol could cause long-term adverse health effects, including certain types of cancers.

While supporters have touted potential benefits of the bill’s passage, Lavelle’s Bistro owner Robin Zimmerman said he has no plans to hire any young restaurant workers despite the bill becoming law.

“Given the level of product that we sell, the wines in the spirits we have,” he said, “it’s really important to us that anybody handling those products is familiar with how they taste, what flavor profiles they are.”

However, Zimmerman said the change could lead to more hiring options, especially in small communities in Alaska.

“Valdez and Homer and Seward ... have a hard time finding enough workers,” Zimmerman said, “this opens up the pool of employees significantly, and I understand that that is a good move for everybody.”

Zimmerman suggested that alcohol training procedures in Alaska be refined as well, now that the new law is in place.

“They might have to rethink some of the certification processes,” Zimmerman said. “People fresh out of high school really are the ones that could potentially be working in bars and restaurants.”

Opponents of the bill have said it doesn’t make sense to have underage people serve alcohol when they are still too young to consume it legally.

SB 15 is almost identical to last year’s House Bill 189, which passed the Legislature but was vetoed by Gov. Mike Dunleavy because it was approved after the technical end of the regular legislative session.

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