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SALT LAKE CITY — Getting into a bar in Utah is about to become a lot easier.
Gov. Jon Huntsman and state House and Senate leaders agreed Monday to eliminate the state’s much-criticized private club system, which requires someone to fill out an application and pay a fee for the right to enter a bar unless he or she is the guest of a member.
Utah, with a government historically dominated by Mormon church members, is the only state in the country with such a law.
Huntsman has been pushing to eliminate the 40-year-old system in an effort to boost the state’s $6 billion-a-year tourism industry and make Utah seem a little less odd to outsiders. The Utah Travel Industry Coalition expressed relief at the deal.
“It essentially says to tourists, to travelers, that you are welcome here and that we’re excited to host you and Utah’s a normal place,” said Danny Richardson, the coalition’s director.
Typically, a visitor to a bar currently can expect to pay at least $4 for a membership lasting three weeks or at least $12 as an annual fee. A separate membership is required for each bar and patrons can fill out an application at the door.
In exchange, the state’s DUI laws will become more strict and people who appear younger than 35 will have their driver’s licenses scanned before entering a bar to make sure they’re 21 or older and their ID is real.
“Now they can focus on underage drinking and are you over 21,” said Mark Livingston, who belongs to a group that represents the state’s bar industry.