COLUMBUS, Ohio—Legislation to permanently allow Ohio establishments to sell alcoholic beverages for carryout or delivery, or to drink in adjacent parking lots, easily passed the Ohio House 84-8 on Wednesday.
Under House Bill 669, which now heads to the Ohio Senate, bars, restaurants, small breweries, micro-distilleries and wineries could sell drinks in covered cups -- or alcoholic beverages such as wine in their original, sealed containers -- for customers to drink away from the premises.
Food delivery services such as DoorDash or Grubhub would be allowed to deliver such drinks as long as they first register with state liquor authorities.
Separately, the bill would permit establishments to allow on-site drinking in parking lots, as well as outdoor areas “immediately adjacent” to their premises, so long as the property owner gives written consent.
Last month, state liquor regulators passed a temporary rule allowing Ohio bars and restaurants to sell up to two sealed boozy drinks per take-out order. The rule was passed as a way to give restaurateurs and bar owners a way to continue making sales after Gov. Mike DeWine’s administration banned in-house food and drink sales for several weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Unlike the temporary rule, HB 669 sets no limit on how many drinks could be sold, though micro-distilleries would still have to abide by an existing daily limit of 1.5 liters of liquor per customer.
The bill contains an emergency clause, meaning if it passes the legislature and is signed by DeWine, it would take effect immediately instead of the usual 90-day waiting period. Bills with such a clause require the support of two-thirds of the Ohio House and Senate to pass.
State Rep. Jeff LaRe, a Fairfield County Republican co-sponsoring the bill, said Ohio dining establishments have suffered “devastating hardship” because of the coronavirus crisis, which forced bars and restaurants for weeks to serve customers only via carryout or delivery.
“It is my hope not only will this allow these businesses to recoup lost profit but also maximize their revenue generation,” LaRe said on the House floor Wednesday.
Read more Ohio politics and government stories:
Sherrod Brown chides Housing Secretary Ben Carson at Senate hearing
Gov. Mike DeWine orders plans for new standards on how police respond to mass protests
Ohio AG Dave Yost to seek reforms for police investigations, use-of-force policies
Ohio BMV will reopen driving test sites June 12
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