Lawrence approves ordinance requiring bars to train staff on sexual violence intervention

A new ordinance will soon require some bar and and restaurant workers in Lawrence to undergo sexual violence intervention training in order for the establishments to keep their local liquor licenses.

Despite opposition from several local bar and restaurant owners, the Lawrence City Commission approved the ordinance with a unanimous 4-0 vote on Tuesday. Commissioner Leslie Soden was absent from the meeting.

The measure was originally on the meeting’s consent agenda, which would have allowed the commission to approve it without discussing it. But it was pulled out for discussion when Topeka attorney Tuck Duncan, who helps businesses acquire liquor licenses, said he and other stakeholders in the restaurant and bar industry had concerns about it.