MAUMEE, Ohio — Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed a number of bills before the Christmas holiday and the end of this year's legislative session.
One of those bills could help bars and restaurants with finding workers.
"Now hiring" signs have become almost universal across our area and across the country. But Senate Bill 102 will make a small change to alcohol laws in hopes of making a big impact for the service industry.
"With every restaurant right now, we're all short-staffed, so please, everybody needs to understand that," Jed's Maumee manager Makaylee Wilgus said.
Jeds in Maumee opened up its dine-in room earlier this year after being take-out only for much of the pandemic. Wilgus says finding and keeping workers has been hard, especially in the kitchen.
"A lot of college girls are working here or high schoolers that work here," she said. "Our main staff is high schoolers. They are our bussers, our cashiers. They can work but they're limited hours."
With a younger workforce, Wilgus is happy with the passage of Senate Bill 102. It lowers the age to serve alcohol from 19 to 18 and she says it will help her staff.
"I have a couple of people working cash register and over there that will now be able to serve," she said.
She believes it will also help her keep workers who may want to become servers by giving them experience.
"Being 18 and just graduating and just coming into a restaurant to get personable with people and to learn how to multi-task," Wilgus added, "I think it's great for them before they get into college."
Right now, Wilgus says their hours vary based on how many workers she has and how busy it gets. She's hoping small things like this can lead to a full staff in 2022 and more steady hours of operation.
S.B. 102 also does more, including expanding DORAs or designated outdoor refreshment areas.
Instead of three categories, the law divides cities and townships into those above or below 50,000 people.
Municipalities above the line will be able to designate 640 acres for DORAs, which is twice the limit right now. And they can spread that acreage across six different locations, instead of four.
Meanwhile, cities with populations below 50,000 will be able to use 320 acres as DORAs across three locations.
If you would like to read everything on the new law, click here.