Senate Bill 102, which Gov. Mike DeWine signed, lowers the age at which a person may serve alcohol to 18 from 19. The measure also enables cities and townships with more than 50,000 people to designate 640 acres for Designated Outdoor Drinking Areas (DORA), up from 320. And they can spread that acreage across six locations instead of four.
Places with populations below 50,000 will be able to designate 320 acres as DORAs across three locations, which can be clustered arond a group of bars or restaurants with liquor licenses.
The bill reduces the number of signatures required on a petition to allow Sunday liquor sales to 50, the same as the number of of signatures a lawmaker needs to get on the ballot.
The measure also clarifies that it’s legal for Ohioans to brew their own beers, enter them in tasting compeetitions and share them at local club gatherings.
And the measure allows a customer to spend all of a restaurant gift card on alcohol. Previously, only 30% of the card could be spent on alcohol.