Bars Won't Have to Close Early Because of DST

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels says Indiana's bars, restaurants and taverns can change their clocks an hour after the official start of Daylight Saving Time this weekend. The governor says the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission will not enforce alcohol license laws until then. The move solves a problem first reported by Inside INdiana Business earlier this week. The Indiana Licensed Beverage Association was concerned that central Indiana bars would lose as much as $250,000 because they would have to close an hour early, when DST took effect, during the lucrative Final Four celebration period.

Source: Inside INdiana Business

Press Release

INDIANAPOLIS (March 30, 2006) – Indiana’s bars, restaurants and taverns can change their clocks an hour after the official start of Daylight Saving Time this weekend. Governor Mitch Daniels said today the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission will not enforce alcohol license laws until then, and asked that local law enforcement exercise the same common-sense approach.

That means bar owners can operate as usual overnight Saturday and remain open for their standard hours.

“Most of us will set our clocks ahead before we go to bed. They can do it when they’re locking up for the night,” said Daniels. “And, by the way, we won’t take away the extra hour they’ll get when we fall back in October.”

All of Indiana will observe Daylight Saving Time for the first time on April 2 beginning at 2 a.m. This year, daylight time begins on the first Sunday in April and ends on the last Sunday in October.

Source: Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels' Office