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Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday unveiled a proposal to “permanently” allow bars and restaurants to serve to-go alcoholic drinks — a silver lining for New Yorkers coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are proposing to permanently allow bars and restaurants to sell to-go drinks,” Hochul said at Therapy Wine Bar 2.0 in Brooklyn, adding that the New York State Liquor Authority will iron out details on regulations for the legislation.
“We saw that this is a critical revenue stream,” she added. “This is what kept people afloat during those dark, dark months and years of the pandemic.”
Under another proposal, movie theaters will be allowed to serve alcoholic beverages as well, the governor announced.
Take-out and delivery alcoholic beverage were first allowed in March 2020 via an executive order signed by disgraced ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo to help eateries amid COVID-19-induced shutdown in indoor service.
But the rule must be extended every 30 days. When the allowance was set to expire in March 2021, it was quietly extended through April 6.
In June, the COVID-19 state of emergency order that allowed the drinks to flow came to an end, meaning restaurants and bars serving up to-go booze did as well.
Hochul, during her first State of the State address in January, announced she planned to reinstate the state’s popular “Drinks-to-Go” initiative. Hochul said the move is necessary to help struggling businesses during the Omicron- surge in coronavirus cases.
To-go drinks are popular in the Empire State.
Nearly 80 percent of New Yorkers want to maintain the rule that permits booze takeout and delivery at bars and restaurants, according to a survey released in May by the New York State Restaurant Association.
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