John Hanna, Associated Press
TOPEKA The state that made saloon smasher Carrie Nation famous is moving to allow people to get beer and cocktails to go after the coronavirus pandemic.
Kansas lawmakers approved a bill last week to allow to-go beer and alcoholic drinks from clubs, bars and restaurants until 11 p.m., as long as the drinks are in sealed containers and clear bags that discourage tampering.
The measure is headed to Gov. Laura Kelly after the Senate approved it, 30-9, and the House passed it, 101-18, on Friday. It continues a policy Kelly set by executive order in April 2020 when Kansas was under a statewide stay-at-home order and that remained in effect through March.
Margaritas or martinis to-go? Takeout drinks could soon be permanent in Pa.
Updated May 07, 10:53 AM;
Posted May 07, 10:38 AM
Pennsylvania lawmakers will be considering whether cocktails to-go will become permanent in Pennsylvania. A temporary measure was put in place during the pandemic to help licensed establishments boost sales during the state s shutdown. AP
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Margaritas, espresso martinis and mojitos could be a permanent to-go item at Pennsylvania’s restaurants, taverns and bars.
Earlier this week, the Pennsylvania House Liquor Control Committee unanimously voted on a measure that would make mixed drinks a fixture on menus of the state’s licensed establishments.
To-go alcohol sales from restaurants have been a lifeline for an industry that was ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic.
No surprise then that the industry would like to extend the opportunity to keep this revenue stream once the pandemic ends. House Bill 21-1027 would do that in a measured way.
The Colorado Restaurant Association cites experts who estimate it could take three to five years for full-service restaurants to fully recover from $3 billion in losses incurred during the pandemic. Even today, with things inching back to normal, employment among Colorado restaurant workers is still down 14%, according to an economist with the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS).
AUSTIN â The Texas Senate passed a measure Wednesday to permanently allow Texans to purchase alcohol to go from restaurants, advancing a shared goal of Gov. Greg Abbott and restaurateurs.
House Bill 1024, which cleared the lower chamber last month, would allow beer, wine and mixed drinks to be included in pickup and delivery food orders, securing a revenue stream made available to restaurants in the last year during the pandemic, intended to help those businesses when they closed their dining areas.
The Senate approved the legislation, filed by Republican state Rep. Charlie Geren, a restaurant owner in Fort Worth, in a 30-1 vote. The measure now heads to Abbottâs desk.