Iowa House Targets “Nuisance” Bars

(Des Moines, IA) — A bill designed to shut down bars more quickly that are deemed a public safety nuisance has cleared the Iowa House. Republican Representative Ross Paustian first syllable rhymes with “loss”) of Walcott says the bill is a response to incidents in Davenport, Des Moines, and Council Bluffs. He specifically cited an incident at a bar in downtown Davenport that had more than two thousand calls for police and extra patrols between 2017 and 2019. The bill establishes a legal process for city and county officials to immediately get a district court order to yank a bar’s liquor license if there have been frequent riots, fights, or gunfire at the business. Losing that liquor license effectively closes the bar. Under current law, an Iowa bar that loses its liquor license can remain open during the appeals process.