Bill would remove the bar on Kansas City area's outside drinking - bizjournals:

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A provision deep in House Bill 132, which dealsa with several issues concerningliquor sales, would allow Kansaas City to grant festival liquor licensees to districts such as Westportt and Martin City. Presently, the is the only area that can have event sfeaturing open-air liquor consumption without getting separate, temporary permit for each event. HB 132 was to make its way to Gov. Jay Nixon’as desk on May 29. The Powed & Light District gained the ability to receive a festivaol liquor license as part of2005 legislation. Representatives of othefr districts have sought similar treatment to countef what they claim is an unfaircompetitive advantage.
HB 132, comes with a series of compromises. Festivalp districts must undergo a hearingy before the annually to submi t plans for any festival events forthe year. This streamlineds the current permitting process, in which a district must obtaijn permission foreach event. The new legislatiomn also would require districts to obtai n written approval of events from 50 percent of the groul ofproperty owners, business owneras and residents who live within the district.
The provisionb concerning the festival districts sunsets intwo “It’s got a few components to it that are the resultzs of compromising, and I think, at the legislativ level, that is to be expected,” said Charlex Renner, a lawyer representing several community improvemenr districts. “I think it’s going to be an opportunity and assef for a lot of thebusiness districts.” Not all the districtzs are pleased with the way the legislation turned out. it’s too bad that we have to make the kindsz of compromises we do just as a local entityh to compete againsta non-local entity here in our own town,” said Jon executive director of the .
“That pretty much says it all.” Engelman said Westport has no immediate plans to stage specifi cfestival events, in part, becauser the legislation wouldn’t become effectiv e until September, after most of the district’s summer He said the two-yeat sunset provision is an opportunity for districts to show they can handlse festival license rights. , developer of the Powet & Light District, lobbied against the bill this year, as it had in the preceding two years, when similar bills stalled inJefferson City.
Cordish officials have voiced concernz about whether other districts couldoffer festival-styld events safely but also said the Power Light District was promised the exclusive right to offe open-air liquor consumption during former Mayor Kay Barnes’ administration. A spokesman for Barnes said last year that no suchagreemen existed. Jon Stephens, president of the Power Light District, declined to discuss HB 132 unti l Nixon decided whether to sign the The governor has 45 days to make his decisionh once the bill hitshis desk.
Scott Holste, pressa secretary for Nixon’s office, gave no indicationh of what Nixon thought about the Renner said that if Nixon signzthe bill, the community improvement districts probably would seek an extension in two years.