Driving the news: A proposal to let any city create a "social district" — spots where it's legal for visitors to swill boozy beverages outside — cleared the state Senate this week on a 53-12 vote.
Why it matters: Lawmakers from both parties see a clever way to breathe new life into downtowns by drawing visitors to restaurants, bars and businesses.
Catch up quick: Last year, the Legislature gave two cities — Shakopee and Stillwater — permission to pilot their own social districts.
Officials in both cities are stillstudying their next steps.
What we're watching: Whether the proposal gets through the House and signed into law by the governor.
