LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Thanks to the pen of Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Republican sponsored bill to let the public serve themselves alcohol from tabletop and wall-mounted taps is now a reality.

That makes Michigan the 46th state to offer these self-serving dispensers.

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Under Senate Bill 656, the Michigan Liquor Control Code of 1998, has been amended to allow certain establishments holding an on-premises liquor license to have self-serving dispensers if certain conditions are met.

Compliant taverns, restaurants, clubs, hotels, brewpubs, golf courses, motorsports event licensees and manufacturers will be able to have dispensers that serve beer, mixed drinks and wine but not hard liquor.

State Senator Jim Runestad (R-White Lake) introduced the bill in September 2021 amid concerns of worker shortages and COVID-19 transmission concerns.

Runestad says on his website, “This technology can help our local establishments improve their monitoring of the alcohol consumption of their customers and reduce the amount of touches of individual glasses.”

In order to use these dispensers, a customer will have to show their ID for proof of age and give the establishment their credit card information and they will receive a prepaid key card in the form of a necklace or bracelet that must be affixed to their person.

However, these new dispensing machine don’t not mean unlimited drinking.

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The key card will keep track of the amount of alcohol purchased and limits customers to a serving of 96 oz. total in a single prepaid order and no more than 16 oz. of beer, 12 oz. of wine or 12 oz. of mixed spirits per serving.

Once a customer has hit their limit, they can go back to a worker at the establishment and recharge their key card if they’ve shown they are not impaired.

Monitoring the sale, service and consumption of the customer’s alcohol will still be done by the establishment and the penalties for serving a minor or visibly intoxicated person have gone up from $1000 per incident to $2000 whether it’s associated with the dispensing machines or not.

The Michigan Licensed Beverage Association supported the bill and proponents of the bill say that the popular beer walls and self-dispensing taps allow customers to self-pour from a selection of beers, wines or mixed drinks, controlling their own pours and allowing sampling in order to make a better choice.

In addition, customers can receive the benefit of a better experience if they can serve themselves when the servers are busy and can enjoy more products instead of being stuck with just one pitcher of the same drink.

Opponents of the bill cite the possible loss of jobs if establishments get rid of servers and a difficulty in monitoring tap wall users and access by minors if a business is short-staffed.

With the government finding new, faster and easier ways to allow people to indulge in alcoholic endeavors, the state of Michigan tax coffers will surely be filling up to the brim from the additional sales tax revenue.

Michigan seems to be on a fast track to allow more alcohol consumption as there is also legislation pending that would allow alcohol to be sold at college football, hockey and basketball games in the state.

News of that will surely have the stadium buzzing.