Wisconsin Wedding Barns Sue the State Over New Liquor License Law

Wednesday, May 8th, 2024 -- 2:00 PM

(AP) A pair of Wisconsin wedding barns sued the state Tuesday seeking to block enactment of a new law that requires them to get liquor licenses similar to other establishments that host events.

Owners and operators of wedding barns tried unsuccessfully last year to kill the law that overhauled regulation of the state’s multibillion-dollar liquor industry. The changes had been worked on for years, gaining buy-in from both Republicans and Democrats, large and small brewers, wholesalers and retailers.

Farmview Event Barn, located in Berlin, and Monarch Valley Wedding & Events, in Blair, filed the lawsuit against the Wisconsin Department of Revenue. A spokesperson for the revenue department did not return a message seeking comment.

The new law affects every level of the state’s alcohol industry, governing the licensing, producing, selling and distribution of beer, wine and liquor. That includes new requirements on predominantly rural facilities often located on farms that host wedding receptions and other events, but aren’t traditional bars, restaurants or entertainment venues.

The new law requires such venues to either get a permit or license to sell or allow alcohol legally starting in 2026. Currently, wedding barns and other private event venues don’t need liquor licenses to operate, and many contract with licensed vendors to provide alcohol at events.

Under the law, wedding barn owners could either get a permit that would allow them to host events six times a year or no more than once a month or obtain a liquor license that would allow them to sell alcohol at as many events as they wish.

The lawsuit, filed in Trempealeau County Circuit Court, alleges that the law violates equal protection guarantees and the right to earn a living under the Wisconsin Constitution by imposing an illegal, non-uniform tax.

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