Wisconsin wedding barns sue over state's new liquor law requiring licensing

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A pair of Wisconsin wedding barns sued the state Tuesday seeking to block enactment of a new law that requires them to get liquor licenses similar to other establishments that host events.

Owners and operators of wedding barns tried unsuccessfully last year to kill the law that overhauled regulation of the state’s multibillion-dollar liquor industry. The changes had been worked on for years, gaining buy-in from both Republicans and Democrats, large and small brewers, wholesalers and retailers.

Farmview Event Barn, located in Berlin, and Monarch Valley Wedding & Events, in Blair, filed the lawsuit against the Wisconsin Department of Revenue. Patty Mayers, the assistant deputy revenue secretary, declined to comment on the lawsuit.

The new law affects every level of the state’s alcohol industry, governing the licensing, producing, selling and distribution of beer, wine and liquor. That includes new requirements on predominantly rural facilities often located on farms that host wedding receptions and other events, but aren’t traditional bars, restaurants or entertainment venues.