The state House has passed legislation to allow establishments to offer to-go and delivery sales of alcohol, which would make permanent a temporary exception the state put in place in April.
On Wednesday, lawmakers passed House Bill 669, the Business Expansion and Safety Act, by a vote of 84-8. The legislation aims to permit establishments – including bars, restaurants, breweries and wineries – to tap into a new revenue source amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The bill, one of a flurry introduced in the wake of COVID-19, drew support from the Ohio Restaurant Association and the Ohio Licensed Beverage Association. It now heads to the state Senate for consideration.
“This pandemic has hit main street businesses and workers especially hard as it is a social work environment. The industry runs on human interaction and customer personalization, which has been severely restricted for two months and counting,” D.J. Swearingen, R-Huron, said in a news release.
Under the Business Expansion and Safety Act, establishments could sell alcohol – beer, wine, mixed drinks and “spirituous liquor” – for off-premises consumption in sealed containers. It also will enable restaurants to offer adult beverages via delivery companies.
The proposal would allow establishments to use more outside space, such as parking lots, for the sale of alcohol with approval from the local government.
“This legislation gives our dining industry the opportunity to rise to the occasion,” state Rep. Jeff LaRe, R-Violet Township, said in a news release.
“The creative approaches outlined in the bill allow for more Ohioans to frequent our bars and restaurants while safely abiding by social distancing requirements,” LaRe added. “It is my hope that House Bill 669 will not only allow businesses across the state to re-coup lost profit, but to also maximize their revenue generation.”
According to the Legislative Service Commission (LSC), there are more than 43,200 establishments in the Buckeye State that would be eligible for expanded sales. LSC’s analysis indicated local governments could see “increased costs associated with enforcing compliance” as a result of the bill.
In April, the Ohio Liquor Control Commission passed a temporary “emergency rule” allowing businesses with an on-premises liquor permit to sell to-go and delivery alcohol for off-premises consumption.
