Bill passage will allow Johnson City to limit downtown alcohol sale hours

A bill giving the Johnson City Commission the power to set its own alcohol sale hours in the downtown area has been passed by lawmakers. Monday, the Tennessee House of Representatives voted to pass the bill with 83 in favor, six against and six not voting. The bill was approved almost unanimously by the Tennessee Senate on March 27. The bill only applies to Johnson City and is limited to the downtown district. Business owners claimed that changing the alcohol sale hours would negatively impact the city’s economy. Johnson City City Manager Cathy Ball has emphasized that safety and better use of police resources were the main drivers in asking for the legislation. The bill will have to be signed by the governor to become law.