AUSTIN - Governor Greg Abbott made it official - alcohol-to-go- is here to stay in Texas.
Gov. Abbott signed House Bill 1024 which makes it legal for alcohol-to-go legal, which could be huge for restaurant owners moving forward.
"Proud to sign #HB1024 into law, making Alcohol-To-Go legal in the state of Texas – a big win for restaurants across the state," - Gov. Abbott tweeted out after signing the bill.
According to Texas Tribune, House Bill 1024 would allow beer, wine and mixed drinks to be included in pickup and delivery food orders, securing a revenue stream made available to restaurants in the last year during the pandemic, intended to help those businesses when they closed their dining areas.
Distilled Spirits Council of the United States officials had this statement about the signing:
“Governor Abbott acted quickly to support Texas restaurants and bars by allowing cocktails to-go via executive order during the pandemic,” said Kristi Brown, Distilled Spirits Council of the United States Senior Director of State Government Relations. “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.”
The state's restaurant industry has lost nearly 700,000 jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Texas Restaurant Association.