While local legislators are working to change the law that closed many under-21 events in State College, an upcoming state Senate bill may contain an amendment that would keep mixed-ages nights from returning to State College.

Within the next month, the Senate will be discussing a bill that would change the ratio of patrons under 21 to chaperones to 20-1 and allow chaperones to be club employees -- making all-ages shows and under-21 nights feasible.

However, Sen. Jake Corman, R-Bellefonte, said when the bill reaches the Senate floor, he will propose an amendment to ban all mixed-ages nights. Clubs would be able to host under-21 nights only as long as no alcohol is being served, Corman said.

Mixing the "bar scene" and people who are under 21 creates a problem, as it increases the likelihood of underage people obtaining alcohol, he said.

"I have a big problem with that," Corman said.

Dave Wells, director of operations for Crowbar, 420 E. College Ave., said he adamantly opposes the idea of such an amendment. The end of mixed-ages events would make it impossible to get bigger acts to perform in State College, he said.

"[That amendment] would be the end of live, national acts at the Crowbar," Wells said.

Bands want the variety of an all-ages audience, and big acts are the only way for clubs like Crowbar to operate financially, he said.

A ratio of one chaperone to every 20 underage customers would be more than enough to assure that no one illegally obtains alcohol in all-ages venues, Wells said. The way the law was set up previously -- with a 50-1 ratio -- made clubs like Crowbar safe for all-ages events, he said.

"I would not be in support of [the amendment] -- I would urge people to respond to that directly" by contacting local legislators, Wells said. "They're drudging in dangerous waters there."

Upon speaking to a representative from Corman's office, Wells said he was treated rudely and told that so few students had responded to the issue that it was obviously not a concern. Wells said he would love to hear students contact Corman's office.

"This is an issue, and it is a substantial issue," Wells said.

Don Houser, the representative Wells spoke with, said he did not imply that the issue was not important to students. Fourteen students have contacted Corman's office since the passing of the bill that made the chaperone ratio 5-1, and the office has also received e-mails from local high school students, Houser said.

"When constituents respond to us about an issue, we respond," he said.

Pat Conway, chief executive officer of the Pennsylvania Restaurant Association, said the new ratio would be adequate in making sure people who are under 21 would not be served alcohol at all-ages events.

"We think that's a reasonable ratio for mixed events," Conway said. "That environment is completely safe."

While Conway said it is difficult to comment on an amendment that has not been formally proposed, he said the Restaurant Association helped form the bill and hopes it passes as is.

"We hope the language [of the bill] would proceed as it stands," Conway said.