Georgia Governor Brian Kemp yesterday signed SB 236 making cocktails to-go permanent from food service establishments, according to a joint statement from the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States and Georgia Restaurant Association.
Georgia becomes the eighth state to make a COVID-era cocktails to-go measure permanent.
“Cocktails to-go has provided a much-needed lifeline for struggling hospitality businesses across the U.S. and prevented the permanent closure of many,” Jay Hibbard, Distilled Spirits Council of the United States senior vice president of state government relations, said in a prepared statement. “Georgia’s hospitality businesses now have the opportunity to utilize cocktails to-go, increasing stability as they begin the long path to economic recovery. We applaud the Georgia Legislature and Governor Kemp for supporting local businesses and for providing increased convenience to consumers.”
More than 30 states began allowing restaurants and/or bars to sell cocktails to-go as a COVID-19 economic relief measure amid the pandemic.
Iowa, Ohio, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Montana, Arkansas, West Virginia, Georgia, and the District of Columbia have all made COVID-era cocktails to-go measures permanent. Dozens of other states are also considering legislation to extend or make permanent cocktails to-go measures.
“We are appreciative of our state legislators’ support of Georgia’s restaurant industry in passing this bill,” Karen Bremer, president, and CEO of the Georgia Restaurant Association, said. “By allowing cocktails to-go, restaurants that are still struggling to keep their doors open now have another opportunity to offer guests a full-service dining experience in their own homes. Our sincerest thanks to Senator Matt Brass and all of SB 236’s sponsors for their hard work.”
