ST. PAUL &045; While details of the session’s weightiest bills created headaches for lawmakers Thursday, a few joined the governor to toast a small victory: a deal that would allow bars to stay open an hour later.

The agreement would permit cities to extend bar closing to 2 a.m. Businesses choosing to take advantage of the option would pay a fee of between $200 and $600, depending on volume of liquor sales.

The new hours are slated to take effect Aug. 1.

Coupled with federal funds, the change is expected to bring in about $6 million over the next two years, and the money will be used to put about 50 more state troopers on the road.

The fee would disappear in 2005 if the later bar hours are bringing in enough sales tax revenues to cover the cost of the troopers.

&uot;This is a great day for the Minnesota State Patrol,&uot; said Col. Anne Beers, head of the patrol.

She said the extra troopers would be added in greater Minnesota to make sure most areas of the state are staffed from 6 a.m. to 3 a.m. every day &045; when the visibility is needed.

Rep. Dan Dorman, R-Albert Lea, who sponsored the later bar-hours bill in the House, said the state was already short of troopers and the deal should help make roads safer.

&uot;I think we had a problem with troopers before the 2 a.m. bar closing, so I think that was a good thing we did,&uot; he said.

Dorman said encouraging more convention business in the Twin Cities and being consistent with the neighboring states of Iowa, Wisconsin and South Dakota were two other reasons he pushed the bill.

During the recent playoff runs by the Minnesota Wild and Minnesota Timberwolves, fans noticedd the state’s 1 a.m. bar closing lawm, Dorman said. &uot;A couple of those games started late due to TV, and all the sudden people are coming out after the games and want to get a drink and dinner, and they don’t have enough time,&uot; he said.

Pawlenty and DFL Sen. Dean Johnson both said they have reservations about extending bar hours, but that they were willing to compromise for the extra trooper funds.

&uot;We’re willing to give it a chance &045; give it a try,&uot; said Johnson, DFL-Willmar.

Jim Farrell, executive director of the Minnesota Licensed Beverage Association, said the agreement seemed palatable, as long as the sales tax revenues are calculated in a fair way.

&uot;I’m glad it’s done,&uot; he said, adding, &uot;I think with all compromises, there’s a little buyer’s remorse.&uot;

The Legislature already has passed a bill extending the bar hours, which Pawlenty said he would sign once the funding parts clear the Legislature.