Bill seeks to keep alcohol to-go rule

As the 87th Legislature kicks into high gear in Austin, a bill introduced in both the Texas House and Senate is aiming to make to- go alcohol from restaurants and bars permanent.

Venues in Texas have been able to sell beer, wine and liquor with takeout food orders since the beginning of the pandemic, when Gov. Greg Abbott signed an emergency waiver in an effort to help the struggling service industry as it navigated shutdowns and other safety regulations.

The governor allowed to-go mixed drinks in June 2020 after bar and restaurant operators lobbied him to ease the restrictions further. Before that, many offered cocktail kits with the liquor in its original package.

Sen. Kelly Hancock and Rep. Charlie Green filed Senate Bill 298 and House Bill 1094, respectively, Jan. 7. The bills would allow Texans to buy alcohol from licensed venues, via pick-up and delivery, for off-premise consumption.

“Without Gov. Abbott’s temporary waiver allowing restaurants to safely sell alcohol with their to- go food orders, Texas would have seen many more restaurants — small and large — close their doors and lose their employees because of this pandemic,” said Emily Williams Knight, president and CEO of the Texas Restaurant Association (TRA), in a statement. “We know the road to recovery will be long, which is precisely why we need tools like alcohol to- go to become permanent.”

In June, Abbott offered his support for a bill making the measure permanent. If the bill passes in both houses, it appears the governor will sign it.