House Bill 1024 allows beer, wine and mixed drinks to be included in orders for the pick-up and delivery of groceries. This secures a source of income that was made available to restaurants during the pandemic when their dining areas had to close.
by Sami Sparber
May 12, 20211: 56 p.m. Central
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Take-away alcohol is now legal in Texas after Governor Greg Abbott signed a bill on Wednesday that would permanently allow Texans to include alcohol in takeaway orders from restaurants to achieve a common goal for Abbott and restaurateurs.
House Bill 1024 allows beer , Wine and mixed drinks are included in orders for the pick-up and delivery of groceries. This secures a source of income that was made available to restaurants during the pandemic when their dining areas had to close. Since the move was approved by more than two-thirds of the House and Senate, it went into effect as soon as Abbott signed it.
« Today is a great day for Texas restaurants as well as customers, » Abbott said as he did signed the bill submitted by Republican Rep. Charlie Geren, a Fort Worth restaurant owner.
Abbott signed an exemption in March last year to allow takeaway liquor to be sold. The waiver was originally supposed to last until May 2020, but has been extended indefinitely. As the legislature began its work during the legislature, the expansion of Texans’ access to alcohol found bipartisan support.
« It turned out that Texas liked [alcohol] so much that Texas lawyers made this permanent law in the state Texas wanted to enact, « Abbott said on Wednesday.
Texas had historically restrictive alcohol laws. Since the ban was lifted, the state has banned the sale of alcohol in liquor stores on Sundays, and distilleries have limits on the number of bottles a person can buy, among other things.
The permanent take away option could be the Benefit gastronomy after it was destroyed during the pandemic. According to the Texas Restaurant Association, in the early days of the pandemic, 700,000 Texas restaurant workers lost their jobs and thousands of Texas restaurants closed.
« This new law will help businesses keep their doors open and ensure Texans keep their jobs, « Bentley Nettles, executive director of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, said in a press release. “TABC is grateful to Governor Abbott and members of the Texas Legislature for their guidance in this very important step. A big thank you goes to the efforts of the alcohol dealers who have safely and responsibly sold alcohol to fall under last year’s waiver. «
Disclosure: The Texas Restaurant Association was a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, impartial news organization funded in part by donations from members, foundations, and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters are not a part of the Tribune’s journalism. A full list can be found here.
Updated: May 11, 2021
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