Streamline, make statewide bartender license process

Wisconsin needs a uniform, statewide, online system for business owners and license holders to renew their premise and serving licenses.

Implementing such a system for routine renewals of licenses would save time and money for business owners, workers and municipal workers and ensure a uniform application of the rules. It would also open the door to ease application for those who wish to work in multiple municipalities.

Under current law, if someone is a bartender or involved in the retail sale of alcoholic beverages, they must register and pay to attend and pass a responsible beverage servers class. They must then fill out a form, have it signed in front of a notary, turn in a photocopy of their license, pay a fee and undergo a background check before receiving an embossed piece of paper allowing them to finally do their job. In fairness, in particular the city of Medford, the form has been greatly simplified in recent years, but they still must be filled out by hand and turned into city hall during business hours The licenses are good until the end of June in odd-number years where license holders must go through the whole process again, minus having to sit through the class. All this, just to continue doing what for many people is a part-time job.

If a bartender, for example, decides to switch from a job in the city of Medford to one in the town of Medford, they will have to go through the whole process again in that municipality. Because the licenses are issued on the local level, the amount of paperwork required will vary slightly. Basically, they want to find out if you have been convicted of alcohol-related crimes and, most importantly, get the payment for the license.

This amount of putzy paperwork and needing to take time off during the day to physically go to city hall makes sense for first time license holders. It is silly to require it for routine renewals.

The state of Wisconsin has made a concerted effort in recent years to automate and move on-line most routine businessrelated transactions including payroll and sales tax reports. The Wisconsin DMV is steadily working to move on-line most of their services including registering vehicles and being able to renew drivers’ licenses.

The DNR has likewise fully embraced technology for routine interactions with licenses and even deer registration during hunting season all happening on-line.

You can even register to vote on the state website by scanning in your license information.

Wisconsin should develop and implement a state-wide system for businesses and individuals to, at the very least, do routine license renewals online and have automated reports sent to local municipalities to do their own routine background checks and formal approvals.

Such a process would not only make it easier for people simply wanting to go to work, but it would eliminate hassles, headaches and additional putzy paperwork for municipal staff.

At a time when employers in the food and beverage industries are finding it increasingly hard to find workers, the state should look at ways to use technology to streamline the license renewal process to both satisfy public safety while allowing people to get to work.