So, he adds, "If you are used to having a couple of beers and a couple of shots, well, you just had one more drink than usual" because of the 50 percent higher alcoholic content in the shots. He said that could be the difference between driving drunk or not.

Morris said most people he has talked to in the hospitality industry oppose the change, but said it could help some restaurant owners that cater more to drinks like martinis. He said that contrary to what leaders say, "I think it will only increase the perception that our liquor laws are weird — especially if you can't get a lot of basic specialty drinks."

Lisa Roskelley, spokeswoman for Huntsman, said he proposed the change as a step toward helping out-of-state visitors to view Utah's liquor laws as more normal. She said normalizing alcohol laws was recommended by his transition team when he took office, and he has been working on steps ever since.

Valentine said Huntsman asked the Legislature to look at the proposal. "The governor really made a good case that we have provisions in our liquor laws that actually encourage consumption by encouraging people to buy sidecars," which brought GOP Senate leadership on board.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is often the proverbial, unseen 800-pound gorilla in the room on liquor issues, had no immediate comment about the proposal. But Bramble said that while legislators have not met with church leaders formally on the issue, "I suspect they are probably not against this."

The bill has not yet been written, but Senate Majority Whip Dan Eastman, R-Bountiful, opened a bill file to draft the legislation on Monday. Valentine said GOP senators plan to discuss the issue during their caucus today.

Valentine said the proposed change does not mean Utahns should expect other major liquor law changes, such as doing away with the need to join private clubs to be served liquor by the drink. Valentine said he prefers that system, because clubs can revoke memberships of those who drink too much.

However, a bill by Sen. Scott McCoy, D-Salt Lake, to allow selling alcoholic beverages on election days was endorsed Monday by the Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions, and now moves to the full Senate.

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E-mail: lee@desnews.com