{"id":8227,"date":"2026-07-28T09:06:09","date_gmt":"2026-07-28T09:06:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8227"},"modified":"2026-07-28T09:06:09","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T09:06:09","slug":"this-grandma-fought-for-a-bill-to-allow-happy-hour-at-retirement-homes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8227","title":{"rendered":"This grandma fought for a bill to allow happy hour at retirement homes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Anita LeBrun said she hoped to enjoy a drink with her friends, but it was also a matter of independence. <\/strong><\/p>

Read more A literary outdoorsman, he helped popularize bodybuilding and co-created paintball<\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n
Anita LeBrun spoke at a bill signing ceremony at Amira Choice in Champlin, Minnesota, on July 14. (Office of Governor Tim Walz)<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

Anita LeBrun wanted to drink a glass of pinot grigio with her friends at their retirement home.<\/p>\n

She was a regular at the facility\u2019s semiweekly happy hours, but she thought it was ridiculous that they were dry. Minnesota law prohibited retirement homes from serving alcohol without an additional license.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverybody enjoyed it so much,\u201d LeBrun, 82, said about the happy hours. \u201cI just wanted it to happen that we could have, you know, a couple drinks.\u201d<\/p>\n

So LeBrun became the face of a movement to change the law.<\/p>\n

LeBrun\u2019s advocacy led her to testify before state lawmakers, gain national fame and stand beside Gov. Tim Walz (D) as he signed the bill, which became known among lawmakers as the \u201cGrandparents\u2019 Happy Hour\u201d bill.<\/p>\n

During 59 years of marriage, LeBrun and her late husband, Richard, often enjoyed happy hours at Minnesota bars and restaurants. LeBrun ordered white wine; Richard drank a beer or a vodka tonic.<\/p>\n

LeBrun and Richard moved to Amira Choice, a senior home in Champlin, Minnesota, in June 2024. Five months later, Richard, 81, died of stomach cancer.<\/p>\n

Amid her grief, LeBrun found a community at Amira Choice, which has about 125 residents. Friends knocked on her door to invite her to bingo, a gardening club and tea time. Tuesday and Friday afternoons were for happy hour, where facility employees served wine and beer, not knowing there was a law banning it. Residents were each limited to two drinks.<\/p>\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n
Anita LeBrun, center, with family members. (Amira Choice)<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

In April 2025, Amira Choice planned to celebrate its remodeling with an event that included sparkling wine. City officials, however, stepped in and <\/b>said state law prohibited retirement homes from serving alcohol without a license. Residents were allowed to drink on their own, but they couldn\u2019t be served alcohol at the facility.<\/p>\n

At happy hours, LeBrun, who has five grandchildren, began drinking 7Up. Then she joined facility leaders in meeting with lawmakers to discuss changing the law.<\/p>\n

In March, state Sen. John Hoffman (D) and state Rep. Danny Nadeau (R) filed bills that would allow nursing homes and assisted-living facilities to serve alcohol. Soon came the part of the process that was the most nerve-racking for LeBrun: testifying before lawmakers.<\/p>\n

LeBrun, who was a day care provider for more than three decades, said she\u2019s shy and used to lean on her husband to lead conversations. But her daughters, Tonya and Kristen, encouraged LeBrun to believe in herself \u2014 the same advice LeBrun gave them when they were nervous about sports tryouts and tests when they were growing up. She practiced her speech to lawmakers in front of a mirror.<\/p>\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n
Anita LeBrun, left, spoke to Minnesota lawmakers in March alongside Abby Dahl, executive director of Amira Choice in Champlin, Minnesota, and state Rep. Danny Nadeau (R). (Andrew VonBank\/Minnesota House of Representatives)<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

While waiting to testify before a Senate committee at the State Capitol in St. Paul in March, LeBrun saw a camera nearby, she said, but Abby Dahl, the executive director at Amira Choice, reassured her that most people would likely be watching more consequential hearings.<\/p>

Read more On his 42nd birthday, Max Scherzer helps Blue Jays beat the Nationals<\/a><\/p>\n

Dahl testified that her facility already followed the state\u2019s health requirements for food and drinks. Adding a liquor permit would cost the facility between $1,000 and $6,700 annually, depending on the type of license they requested, according to the City of Champlin.<\/p>\n

\u201cRequiring a liquor license is simply red tape without value,\u201d Dahl testified. \u201cIt is duplicative, not protective.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then LeBrun introduced herself, saying she was testifying \u201con behalf of the entire community of residents.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy friends and I love happy hour, just like many of you do, I am sure,\u201d LeBrun said. \u201cOver a shared drink, we get to reminisce about parts of our life, military service, raising a family, the loss of a friend and celebrating the golden phase of our lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the following days, LeBrun was shocked to see her speech on the news. More than 2 million people watched a video of her speech<\/a> on Instagram. LeBrun\u2019s friends jokingly asked for her autograph.<\/p>\n

Later in March, LeBrun shared a similar message to a House committee. The bill passed the House and the Senate in April.<\/p>\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) signs a bill at Amira Choice in Champlin, Minnesota, on July 14. (Office of Governor Tim Walz)<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

Walz visited Amira Choice on July 14 to sign the bill.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes in the best intentions, we get in the way of things,\u201d Walz said. \u201cAnd this is one of those cases that government can get out of the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

LeBrun spoke after the lawmakers, wearing a red sticker that said \u201cRaise your glass TO MINNESOTA SENIORS.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe raise our glasses not just for happy hour,\u201d LeBrun said from behind a lectern, \u201cbut for independence.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), left, Anita LeBrun, center, and Bernice Bertram with the bill. (Office of Governor Tim Walz)<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

Five people, including LeBrun, grabbed tall glasses of sparkling wine after Walz signed the bill. The wine was alcohol-free; the law doesn\u2019t take effect until Aug. 1. Before drinking, Hoffman said: \u201cHere\u2019s to good friends. Here\u2019s to community. And here\u2019s to Anita making a compelling argument.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Aug. 4 \u2014 the first Tuesday under the new law \u2014 staff members plan to serve wine and beer to residents. LeBrun said she\u2019ll make sure to have a glass of pinot grigio.<\/p>

Read more CJ Abrams stays hot, and Nationals stay in the hunt<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Anita LeBrun said she hoped to enjoy a drink with her friends, but it was also a matter of independence. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8221,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8227","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interesting"],"yoast_head":"\nThis grandma fought for a bill to allow happy hour at retirement homes - Moving Insider USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8227\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"This grandma fought for a bill to allow happy hour at retirement homes - Moving Insider USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Anita LeBrun said she hoped to enjoy a drink with her friends, but it was also a matter of independence.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8227\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Moving Insider USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-07-28T09:06:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/b6c70789cd14efdd8922f6563b047f56-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1707\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?p=8227#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?p=8227\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/22d40ab81790f6a361021763bb56ef03\"},\"headline\":\"This grandma fought for a bill to allow happy hour at retirement homes\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-28T09:06:09+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?p=8227\"},\"wordCount\":979,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?p=8227#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/d40123f6d6730550647a34eeb10547e7-scaled.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Interesting\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?p=8227#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?p=8227\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?p=8227\",\"name\":\"This grandma fought for a bill to allow happy hour at retirement homes - Moving Insider USA\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?p=8227#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?p=8227#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/d40123f6d6730550647a34eeb10547e7-scaled.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-28T09:06:09+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/22d40ab81790f6a361021763bb56ef03\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?p=8227#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?p=8227\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?p=8227#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/d40123f6d6730550647a34eeb10547e7-scaled.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/d40123f6d6730550647a34eeb10547e7-scaled.jpg\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":1707},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?p=8227#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"This grandma fought for a bill to allow happy hour at retirement homes\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Moving Insider USA\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/22d40ab81790f6a361021763bb56ef03\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"admin\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?author=1\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"This grandma fought for a bill to allow happy hour at retirement homes - Moving Insider USA","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8227","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"This grandma fought for a bill to allow happy hour at retirement homes - Moving Insider USA","og_description":"Anita LeBrun said she hoped to enjoy a drink with her friends, but it was also a matter of independence.","og_url":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8227","og_site_name":"Moving Insider USA","article_published_time":"2026-07-28T09:06:09+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2560,"height":1707,"url":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/b6c70789cd14efdd8922f6563b047f56-scaled.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8227#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8227"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/#\/schema\/person\/22d40ab81790f6a361021763bb56ef03"},"headline":"This grandma fought for a bill to allow happy hour at retirement homes","datePublished":"2026-07-28T09:06:09+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8227"},"wordCount":979,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8227#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/d40123f6d6730550647a34eeb10547e7-scaled.jpg","articleSection":["Interesting"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8227#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8227","url":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8227","name":"This grandma fought for a bill to allow happy hour at retirement homes - Moving Insider USA","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8227#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8227#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/d40123f6d6730550647a34eeb10547e7-scaled.jpg","datePublished":"2026-07-28T09:06:09+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/#\/schema\/person\/22d40ab81790f6a361021763bb56ef03"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8227#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8227"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8227#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/d40123f6d6730550647a34eeb10547e7-scaled.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/d40123f6d6730550647a34eeb10547e7-scaled.jpg","width":2560,"height":1707},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8227#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"This grandma fought for a bill to allow happy hour at retirement homes"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/","name":"Moving Insider USA","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/#\/schema\/person\/22d40ab81790f6a361021763bb56ef03","name":"admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"admin"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com"],"url":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?author=1"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8227","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8227"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8227\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8221"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8227"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8227"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8227"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}