SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Today, the Minnesota House approved legislation to allow restaurants with on-sale liquor licenses to sell certain alcoholic beverages with a takeout food order during the current COVID-19 peacetime emergency. Diners can purchase beverages limited to a 750ml bottle of wine or six-pack of beer, wine, cider, or hard seltzer in their unopened, original packaging along with a meal.
Rep. Julie Sandstede (DFL – Hibbing), Vice Chair of the House Education Finance Division, issued the following statement:
“This is a difficult time for Minnesota’s restaurants, and many of them are doing the best they can with curbside and takeout orders. This legislation isn’t a magic solution to their struggles, but it will hopefully help boost revenues when every penny counts.
“Now, it’s time for the Senate Majority to recognize the pressing needs of Minnesota’s students and educators, and act with the same urgency on these issues as they have to allow beer and wine with takeout orders. Every student deserves to continue their studies – even during this time of unprecedented adaptations – and districts deserve to know they will have the resources to follow through with this responsibility. Senate Republicans have refused to meaningfully consider critical measures – like protecting compensation for hourly school workers or addressing funding formula problems as a result of our change to distance learning. These issues aren’t going away on their own, and the longer we wait, the uncertainty in our communities will continue to grow. My House DFL colleagues and I remain committed to solutions protecting access to a world-class education.”