A bill allowing bar patrons to pour their own alcoholic drinks has cleared the state House of Representatives and is heading to the desk of Gov. Ned Lamont.
SB 894, which had already passed successfully out of the Senate, garnered 119 votes in its favor during a House session early Friday compared to 26 against. Barring an unexpected last-minute veto from the governor, the legislation will likely become law, moving Connecticut out of the minority of states that still bans self-pour systems.
Mike Gallop, the owner of a mobile bar based in Brookfield who has lobbied in favor of self-service, said the change would make Connecticut’s bar industry more dynamic and competitive.
“We’re one step closer to making safe, job-creating self-pour technology use in Connecticut a new normal,” Gallop said Friday.
At self-serve establishments in states where the practice is permitted, patrons check in with a host or hostess and open a tab, Gallop said. They then get a RFID-enabled bracelet that allows them to operate a drink-dispensing machine.
Customers can decide whether to pour a full glass or just a sip to sample the different drinks on offer. The dispensing machines come equipped with iPad-style screens to display notes about the beverages.
The devices also keep track of how much each patron has poured, both for billing purposes and as a safeguard. Staff members are required to check in with customers once the system shows they’ve poured and consumed 32 ounces of beer, at which point they cannot pour any more. The cutoff for wine is 10 ounces.
Gallop said the technology is currently legal and used in Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Maine, putting Connecticut at a disadvantage when it comes to attracting customers.
