Mayor Ed Lee may end up being a stick in the mud about it, but a bill to institute an optional 4 a.m. last call in cities across California moves along, and it needs your support. It's a proposal by Sen. Mark Leno, who's tried to do something similar before, and the current legislation should be objectionable to no one because it allows municipalities to opt in or out as they please, and allows those municipalities that opt in to dictate exactly which bars or clubs in their jurisdiction can sell booze for the extra two hours.

A petition drive has started, this one directed at the Governmental Organization Committee, encouraging them to pass the bill along. It needs just 200 more signatures to reach 5,000.

Needless to say, we're fully in support of the extended hours for bars and clubs, the main arguments being a) this is a world class city that needs to stop feeling like a sleepy provincial backwater when we're all booted to the curb at 2 a.m., unlike in New York or Chicago; b) the extended hours will mean that people can leave at a more staggered pace, with the belief being that many will spill out or fall out long before 4 a.m., lessening the burden on law enforcement at the witching hour of 2 a.m. c) it's good for business, and great for nightlife, in general.

And all those of you who think this is somehow going to lead to more drunk driving, please ask yourselves if you think people are going to be somehow more drunk, or more likely to drive drunk, just because the bar is open later. Maybe, if more people are needing public transportation, BART will finally get their head out of their ass and figure out how to stay open all night on weekends. (Maintenance can be done all week long, can it not?)

That is all.

Previously: New CA Bill Would Let Bars Serve Alcohol Until 4 AM