After spirited debate, the Senate has voted 18-16, narrowly passing HB 318 to create a special liquor license for a single small event center in each of Idaho’s established resort cities, for use only during conferences or events. The bill earlier passed the House 40-28; it’s designed to accommodate an event center that’s opening in Ketchum. Rep. Steven Miller, R-Fairfield, had two previous versions of the bill that died in committee in the House before HB 318 finally passed.

Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, told Senate sponsor Michelle Stennett, D-Ketchum, that his opposition to the bill followed a long tradition of his opposing special liquor licenses that stretches back to when Stennett’s late husband, Sen. Clint Stennett, sponsored them in the Senate; he raised a series of concerns about details of the bill. After the vote, he congratulated Stennett on her victory. The bill now goes to Gov. Butch Otter.