Key facts
- An 82-year-old resident, Anita Le Brun, successfully advocated for a law change in Minnesota.
- The new law permits assisted living facilities to serve alcohol for special events without requiring a license.
- Facilities must notify the state before serving alcohol under the new regulations.
- Governor Tim Walz signed the bill into law.
- The legislation aims to reduce "unnecessary red tape" and allow senior living communities to host social events more easily.
An 82-year-old Minnesota resident, Anita Le Brun, has successfully lobbied for a change in state law that will allow assisted living facilities to serve alcohol to residents and their guests during special events without needing a license. Le Brun, a grandmother of five, found it "ridiculous" that her facility, Amira Choice Champlin, was prohibited from serving drinks, despite her love for a glass of pinot grigio and her family's tradition of Happy Hour.
After testifying twice before the state legislature, Le Brun was present this week as Governor Tim Walz ceremonially signed the bill, nicknamed the "Grandparents' Happy Hour" bill. The legislation, effective this month, requires facilities to notify the state beforehand. Governor Walz stated that growing older should not mean forfeiting life's traditions and that the law aims to reduce administrative burdens for senior living communities.
Le Brun's advocacy began after her facility was cited for serving champagne at an event. Amira Choice had contacted LeadingAge Minnesota, a nonprofit supporting senior care providers, noting the prohibitive cost and conditions associated with obtaining an alcohol license. LeadingAge emphasized that residents should have the same legal rights to consume alcohol in their homes as those living independently.
Other providers are reportedly planning to implement similar events. The story also references a recent headline involving 96-year-old TikTok star Lillian Droniak, known as "Grandma Droniak," who received a warning from her facility in Connecticut for hosting parties and serving alcohol to other residents, a move her grandson stated she welcomed the news from Minnesota about.