Under Utah’s SB 314, it will now be a crime to offer drink specials. In addition, SB 314 bans minikegs and ties the number of liquor licenses to population quotas and public-safety officers.

Utah has a long history of harassing people who drink in contradiction to the teachings of the Church of Latter Day Saints, including the imposition of so called “Zion Curtains” at bars. This rather transparent sectarian policy does not seem to bother politicians who claim to be for small government and libertarian values. It also contradict the desire of the state to pull in tourists and change the image of the state as controlled by the LDS leadership.