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Wisconsin wedding barns sue Department of Revenue over newly passed alcohol regulations
2024-05-07
BLAIR, Wis. (WKBT) -- Two wedding barn venues are suing the state of Wisconsin over recently passed alcohol laws.
The Wisconsin Institue for Law and Liberty (WILL) -- a conservative law firm out of Milwaukee -- filed the suit in Trempealeau County court Tuesday morning on behalf of Fairview Event Barn in Berlin and Monarch Valley Weddings and Events in Blair.
The lawsuit alleges that Wisconsin Act 73 's retooling of alcohol regulations in the state will have a harmful effect on the way special event venues like wedding barns do business.
The legislation passed late last year alters the definition of a public place to include venues available for rent for a social gathering or event. Those places are now required to be licensed to allow alcohol at those events.
Event venues can either get a retail liquor license to sell alcohol at their events or obtain a special "no sale event venue permit". The second allows a venue to let guests bring in outside alcohol (beer and wine) without having the retail license to sell it themselves.
The only catch is, they can only do that six times a year -- and no more than once per month.
WILL's argument on behalf of the event barns say this upends their business models and could force many of those venues to go out of business.
"Plaintiffs’ private event venues host significantly more than 6 events per year and 1 event per month, and limiting Plaintiffs’ ability to operate on their normal schedules will likely put them out of business, as their revenue will be reduced dramatically," the complaint reads in part. "They will also struggle to recruit and retain staff to work for only six days per year."
The legislation was hailed by members of the Tavern League and the beverage industry for simplifying and modernizing alcohol laws in the state. The law goes into effect on January 1, 2026.
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