Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill making cocktails to go permanent in Texas. It requires food to be included in the alcohol-to-go order. Texas is the 10th state to make a Covid-era cocktails to-go measure permanent.
“Governor Abbott acted quickly to support Texas restaurants and bars by allowing cocktails to-go via executive order during the pandemic,” said Kristi Brown, Senior Director of State Government Relations, Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. “Cocktails to-go provided a much-needed lifeline for struggling hospitality businesses and prevented the permanent closure of many. Now that this measure is permanent, hospitality businesses will have increased stability as they begin the long path to recovery. We applaud the Texas Legislature and Governor Abbott for supporting local businesses and for providing increased convenience to consumers.”
Other market modernization efforts are also moving through the Texas Legislature including one bill to allow seven-day spirits sales statewide (HB 937) and others that would allow local option elections for seven-day spirits sales (SB 1013; HB 2232).
According to a statewide poll released by DISCUS, 65% of Texas voters support cocktails-to-go legislation; 65% support seven-day sales at liquor stores and craft distilleries; and 61% support allowing seven-day sales to be decided at the local level via local option election.
The campaign for Sunday liquor sales garnered some support from NASCAR’s Sam Hunt.