Contact: Tom Evenson
(608) 266-2839
Madison, Wisconsin – Governor Scott Walker signed Assembly Bill 194 into law today, which allows an unaccompanied underage person to be present during a music festival at a venue that has been issued an alcohol beverage license.
“Assembly Bill 194 allows music festivals, which are a big tourism draw for the state, to continue to operate and benefit both the local and state economy,” Governor Walker said. “In the Chippewa Valley alone, music festivals have an economic impact of $40 million every year. When you look at other locations that are exceptions to the presence of underage persons, including bowling alleys, movie theaters, and sports stadiums, adding music festival grounds to the list just made sense.”
Assembly Bill 194 – adds music festivals to the list of exceptions for venues in which a person under 21 years of age may attend without the presence of their parent, legal guardian, or spouse. Under current law, a person under 21 years of age may not be on the premises of a site that has been issued an alcohol license unless they are accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or spouse. By adding music festivals to the list of exceptions, unaccompanied minors will now be allowed to attend a music festival where alcohol is being served as long as the attendance at that music festival is expected to be more than 2,500. Authored by Representative Rob Summerfield (R – Bloomer) and Senator Terry Moulton (R – Chippewa Falls), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote. It is Act 7.
