Restaurant patrons in the Bay State can already order a beer or a glass of wine to-go. Soon, they may be able to take home a margarita, too.
The Massachusetts Senate on Friday passed a bill allowing restaurants to sell prepared, sealed mixed alcohol drinks for takeout and delivery during the coronavirus pandemic.
The bill, filed by state Sen. Diana DiZoglio, D-Methuen, who represents the Essex First District, expands on existing legislation already allowing the sale of beer and wine with takeout and delivery during the crisis. Restaurants are allowed to open now, but many don’t have the space capacity to do. And ones that are opening must do so with new safety expenses and at lower capacity.
“Since the start of the COVID-19 emergency, I have heard from our local restaurant owners about the revenue that to-go mixed drinks could generate to help them stay afloat and survive the impacts of the shutdown,” DiZoglio said in a statement Friday. “While many mom and pop establishments have been able to slowly reopen in recent weeks, they still face significant challenges in their efforts to retain employees and pay their bills.”
Dozens of states nationwide, including Rhode Island and Maine, have already passed measures like this to ease alcohol sale restrictions as businesses struggle to stay open.
The Massachusetts Senate is working on a comprehensive relief bill for restaurants like the one passed by the House, but in the meantime – as the Senate also debates police reform and other big issues – DiZoglio wanted the takeout drinks measure passed and signed into law to give restaurants at least that help now.
Now the House will have to vote on their own takeout drinks bill in order for the matter to land on Gov. Charlie Baker’s desk for his signature.
“While the Legislature does not have a say in the reopening plan during this continued state of emergency, we still have an obligation to use every legislative tool we have to help those that are struggling due to the pandemic,” DiZoglio continued. “The passage of this bill will greatly help our job creators in the restaurant community, as well as their employees, many of whom have faced challenges with unemployment and uncertainty over whether their jobs will be there for them in the future.”