New York would expand access to alcohol by allowing movie theaters to sell liquor and proceed to permit people to purchase cocktails to-go from bars and restaurants under a series of measures unveiled Thursday.
The state Assembly passed the measures on Thursday, that are a part of the larger state budget agreement. It is anticipated to be followed by the state Senate before being sent to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s desk for his signature. The agreement was reached between Hochul and leaders within the state Senate and Assembly after a series of closed-door meetings.
According to the New York State Liquor Authority, movie theaters in New York are only allowed to sell beer and wine, but this recent laws would also add alcohol to the combination.
“Someone should be able to enjoy a cocktail while watching a movie,” said Democrat James Skoufis, a state senator and chairman of a legislative committee that passes the state’s alcohol laws.
The measure comes with guardrails to take care of a family-friendly environment in theaters licensed to sell alcohol. People would only be allowed to buy one alcoholic drink per transaction, and theaters would should stop selling alcohol once the credits roll for the last showing of the day.
Under one other measure within the state budget, New Yorkers would even be allowed to buy to-go cocktails from restaurants and bars over the subsequent five years. The rule was set to run out next yr after the state temporarily approved takeout sales of alcoholic beverages throughout the pandemic.
Skoufis, who supports keeping the measure everlasting, said: “It provides some short-term certainty to restaurants and businesses that do this.”
Lawmakers in Albany voted Thursday to ward off the state budget deadline again, but they’re expected to vote on a package of budget proposals later within the week. Hochul announced the framework of a $237 billion program on Monday budgetroughly two weeks after the unique April 1 deadline.
