St. Paul, MN – Today, the Minnesota House of Representatives passed legislation allowing the takeout sale of beer and wine from bars and restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Along with a meal, customers will be able to purchase beverages limited to a 750 ml bottle of wine or a six-pack of beer, cider, or hard seltzer in their unopened, original packaging. State Representative Dan Wolgamott (DFL – St. Cloud) voted in favor of the bill, and released the following statement:
“Our bars and restaurants, like many businesses, are facing increasing challenges during this pandemic. Allowing the sale of wine and beer with takeout meals is a common sense way we can help out these businesses that already operate on razor-thin margins.
“Until we get to the point where widespread testing is available and our health care staff have the resources they need to prepare for the peak of cases, I’m committed to working on legislation that helps businesses be as successful as they can be while prioritizing the health and safety of Minnesotans. We need to double down on our efforts to not only provide assistance to businesses, but to also ensure that all Minnesotans are getting the relief they need right now, especially with health care and housing security.”
The legislation can be found here. Video of today’s floor debate will be available here. The legislation passed in the Minnesota Senate yesterday, and is expected to be signed into law by Governor Walz.
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