Lawmakers are still trying to eliminate happy hours and drink specials in downtown bars.

The Community/Campus Coalition for the Prevention of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse agreed Tuesday to present alcohol ordinances to the Athens-Clarke County Legislative Review Comm-ittee next Tuesday.

After the Legislative Review Committee looks over these proposed rules, it could vote as early as Tuesday to decide if it wants to present the regulations to the mayor and county commission.

The revised alcohol ordinances were drafted to address the “community’s significant challenges with excessive and underage consumption of alcohol,” according to a memo issued at the meeting.

One of the ordinances addresses stopping alcohol license holders who illegally serve alcohol from reorganizing their businesses after being caught.

If agreed upon, another ordinance will require background checks, training and special identification for bouncers and those who serve alcohol to patrons.

One of the more controversial proposals involves the elimination of late-night happy hours and related serving practices that promote over-consumption of alcohol, such as drink specials.

During the meeting, bar owner Warren Southall expressed concern that these proposals address only underage consumption at bars downtown and did not take into consideration other facilities where alcohol is sold, such as package stores.

The Loft bar owner Paul Degeorge was concerned the proposed ordinances were “micro-managing” the bars downtown. He said he also worried underage drinkers were not being held accountable for their actions.

“It just seems like we are not going to able to use the marketing tools available to us (bars) anymore … I mean, people do go to bars to have fun,” Southall said.

Pat Daugherty, the commission’s former chair, said all officials must work together.

“What we’re talking about here is a community issue … getting other constituents involved is very important.”

Co-chair Louis Gustafson added: “(Underage drinking) is not just a problem downtown … it’s everywhere.”

The Coalition is composed of Athens community members and people from the University. But at the meeting, Erin Thackston was the only student present.