Advocating for Children

Not Such Great Neighbors: Liquor Establishments and Child Care Centers

July 26, 2011 at 3:07 pm 4cforchildren Leave a comment

Yesterday morning at In God’s Hands Child Care Center in Kennedy Heights (Cincinnati), State Senator Eric Kearney held a press conference to introduce Senate Bill 49. 4C staff member Nikki Bryant was in attendance in support of the center’s director, Kathy Tyler. Nikki has been serving as the Leadership Coach assisting Kathy and the center in its successful quest to become star-rated by Ohio’s Step Up to Quality rating system.

S.B 49 proposes to prohibit the issuance of liquor permits to bars, restaurants and liquor stores (“retail liquor establishments”) if the operation of the establishment interferes with the operation of child care centers and nursing homes.

The law already exists to prohibit such businesses if they interfere with the “orderly conduct of affairs” of schools, churches, libraries, public playgrounds and hospitals. Senator Kearney proposes to add child care centers and nursing homes to the list.

Senator Kearney indicated that he has received numerous complaints from child care centers and community council members indicating that the presence of liquor stores and bars has created safety concerns for their neighborhoods.

Now, I’m not against bars, restaurants and liquor stores, and in fact, have spent a bit of time in each, but I’d just as soon have the Ohio Division of Liquor Control have the tools it needs to deny a permit to a not-so-reputable bar across the street from our children’s early childhood education programs. If permits can be denied because the “liquor establishment will substantially and adversely affect or interfere with the normal orderly conduct of the affairs” of a school or public playground, why not deny such a permit for the benefit of a child care center and nursing home? Seems like common sense to me.

A little disclosure here: Senator Kearney served on the board of 4C for Children in the 1990’s, and is being honored by 4C in January 2012 as one of our Champions for Children for his efforts in the Ohio legislature that look out for the wellbeing of young children.

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