Alvin J. Benoit
May 11, 2009
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May 14, 2009
The bill filed by Larose state Rep. Jerry Gisclair creating a new, less-expensive license category for barbershops and salons that serve limited amounts of free alcohol to customers died in the Administration of Criminal Justice Committee last week.
No license exists in the state allowing businesses to give away alcohol.
Gisclair said the bill was killed partly because too many companies would have to buy the new Class D license.
Murphy Painter, commissioner of the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control, wanted those establishments to obtain more expensive regular bar licenses, Gisclair said.
“According to the commissioner, it’s illegal to give away beer,” he said.
Gisclair’s bill would have allowed cosmetological businesses to serve one 12-ounce glass of beer or two five-ounce glasses of wine free to adult customers. New permits would have cost $50 and renewals $25.
Gisclair said Painter would not answer directly when asked what law is violated by serving free alcohol to customers.
He said a Just 4 Him hair styling shop, which serves small amounts of alcohol free to adult customers, was cited after a competing barbershop complained.
Just 4 Him then requested that the special licensing category be created. Owners will contest the citation in court in Lafourche Parish on July 8.
“They’ve been doing this for years (serving free alcohol) under the radar,” Gisclair said.
He called the citation “selective enforcement.”
Several calls to Just 4 Him owner Kevin Sevin went unreturned as of press time.
Another bill by Gisclair eliminating insurance companies’ practice of charging differing rates north and south of the Intracoastal Waterway will be heard this week. Another bill increasing per diems for members of the Greater Lafourche Port Commission has left committee.
Houma state Rep. Gordon Dove’s bill removing Houma’s police and fire chiefs from Civil Service protection will be heard in the Municipal, Parochial, and Cultural Affairs Committee next week.
The bill allows the chiefs to be hired and fired by Terrebonne Parish’s president like department heads.
Approval would still be required by the Terrebonne Parish Council.
“The parish president is elected by the people,” Dove said. “If the parish president can’t work with the police chief, he could be let go.”
The bill would affect only future Houma police and fire chiefs.
Co-authors of the measure are Sen. Butch Gautreaux of Morgan City, Sen. Reggie Dupre of Houma, Rep. Joe Harrison of Labadieville, and Rep. Damon Baldone of Houma.
State Rep. Jerry Gisclair’s proposed bill would have allowed barbershops and salons to serve limited amounts of free alcohol to clients. Just 4 Him owner Kevin Sevin of Larose was recently cited by the Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control for serving adults beer.
