Today, the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) and The Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association (VRLTA) applauded Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin for signing HB 688, making Virginia the 26th state to permanently allow cocktails to-go in support of businesses and consumers.
Cocktails to-go for takeout and delivery in Virginia were set to expire July 1, 2024. Under the legislation, cocktails to-go can be sold from bars, restaurants and distilleries.
“Virginia consumers, restaurants, bars and distilleries can all toast to the fact that cocktails to-go are here to stay in Virginia,” said Andy Deloney, senior vice president and head of state public policy at DISCUS. “During the pandemic, cocktails to-go were a critical source of revenue for many businesses, and now, the increased convenience and stability they offer is permanent. We applaud the Legislature and Governor Youngkin for supporting Virginia businesses and consumers by making cocktails to-go permanent.”
Since the beginning of the pandemic, 26 states, including Virginia, and the District of Columbia have enacted laws to permanently allow cocktails to-go, and seven others have enacted laws that allow cocktails to-go on a temporary basis. Numerous states are still considering cocktails to-go legislation.
“Permanence for cocktails-to-go is a great win for Virginia’s ABC-licensed restaurants,” said Eric Terry, president and CEO of VRLTA. “We are grateful to have worked with DISCUS and a broad coalition of stakeholder partners to bring it across the finish line, and happy to see the broad bipartisan support that the bill received. Virginia now joins twenty-five other states as well as the District of Columbia in making this common-sense policy permanent.”
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.
BACKGROUND
States that signed legislation to make cocktails to-go permanent into law:
Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia have all made COVID-era cocktails to-go measures permanent.
States that signed legislation to allow cocktails to-go on a temporary basis into law:
California (expires December 31, 2026), Colorado (expires July 1, 2025), Illinois (expires August 1, 2028), Massachusetts (expires April 1, 2024), New Jersey (TBD), New York (expires April 9, 2025) and Vermont (expires July 1, 2025) passed legislation to allow cocktails to-go on a temporary basis.