Changes to Wisconsin’s liquor licensing laws enacted last year are being challenged in court by two wedding barn owners, according to The Associated Press.
The new law that requires wedding barns to get liquor licenses similar to other establishments that host events.
Farmview Event Barn, located in Berlin, and Monarch Valley Wedding & Events, in Blair, filed the lawsuit against the Wisconsin Department of Revenue.
The new law affects every level of the state’s alcohol industry, governing the licensing, producing, selling and distribution of beer, wine and liquor. It was lauded by some businesses including breweries and wineries which saw restrictions eased.
The new law requires event venues to either get a permit or license to sell or allow alcohol legally starting in 2026. Currently, wedding barns and other private event venues don’t need liquor licenses to operate, and many contract with licensed vendors to provide alcohol at events.
Under the law, wedding barn owners could either get a permit that would allow them to host events six times a year or no more than once a month — or obtain a liquor license that would allow them to sell alcohol at as many events as they wish.
The lawsuit, filed in Trempealeau County Circuit Court, alleges that the law violates equal protection guarantees and the right to earn a living under the Wisconsin Constitution by imposing an illegal, non-uniform tax.
Neither of the wedding barns that filed that lawsuit has a liquor license. They also don’t sell or provide alcohol, but both allow for those who rent the facility and their guests to bring alcohol and consume it on site.
Bars, restaurants and operators of other event facilities have argued this gives wedding barns a competitive edge.
The lawsuit also argues that the law allows for exemptions that are unconstitutionally arbitrary and nonsensical. Exempt properties include those owned by municipalities, schools, churches and clubs, and venues located in a professional stadium district, including parking lots around Lambeau Field in Green Bay and American Family Field in Milwaukee.
