The Maine Legislature passed a measure yesterday, LD 1751, to extend cocktails to-go in the state until March 30, 2025, providing increased stability for hospitality businesses still struggling to cope with the harsh economic impacts of COVID-19.
The bill heads to Governor Janet Mills (D-Maine) for signature.
“Maine businesses and consumers are one step closer to enjoying cocktails to-go for an additional three years,” said Jay Hibbard, Distilled Spirits Council Vice President of State Government Relations. “Not only does this measure provide increased convenience for consumers, but it also gives restaurants a stable source of revenue as they work to recover from the pandemic. We are grateful the legislature acted to extend this consumer- and business-friendly measure and are hopeful Governor Mills will sign it into law swiftly.”
Eighteen states and the District of Columbia have passed legislation to make cocktails to-go permanent, and 14 other states passed legislation to allow cocktails to-go on a temporary basis.
BACKGROUND
During COVID-19, more than 35 states began allowing restaurants and/or bars to sell cocktails to-go as an economic relief measure via executive orders or other temporary measures. Since then, 18 states and the District of Columbia passed legislation to make cocktails to-go permanent, and 14 other states passed legislation to allow cocktails to-go on a temporary basis. Some states are still considering cocktails to-go legislation.
States that passed legislation to make cocktails to-go permanent:
Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Iowa, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Montana, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia have all made COVID-era cocktails to-go measures permanent.
States that passed legislation to allow cocktails to-go on a temporary basis:
California (expires December 31, 2026), Colorado (expires July 1, 2025), Connecticut (expires June 4, 2024), Delaware (first extended; now permanent), Illinois (expires Jan. 3, 2024), Maine (expires Sept. 10, 2022), Maryland (local option – expires June 30, 2023), Massachusetts (expires May 1, 2022), Michigan (expires December 31, 2025), Rhode Island (expires March 1, 2022), Tennessee (expires July 1, 2023), Vermont (expires July 1, 2023), Virginia (expires July 1, 2024) and Washington (expires July 1, 2023) passed legislation to allow cocktails to-go on a temporary basis.
The distilled spirits industry is committed to responsibility and encourages moderation for adults who choose to drink alcohol. Cocktails to-go are intended for home consumption. Laws governing alcohol consumption must always be observed.