(WWJ) Cocktails-to-go and designated drinking districts have been legalized in Michigan under bills signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
Whitmer on Wednesday approved Senate Bill 942 and House Bills 5781 and 5811, which allow bars and restaurants to sell cocktails-to-go and expand what are called "social districts" to allow for more outdoor seating and areas for people to safely congregate while practicing physical distancing.
The package of bills also includes a temporary cut in state liquor prices to help businesses hurting during the coronavirus pandemic.
The governor's office announced the move just as Whitmer signed an executive order shutting down indoor bar service in most of Lower Michigan, amid COVID-19 outbreaks tied to crowded bars.
The new laws allow local governments to designate special drinking districts where people age 21 and up can walk around in public with an alcoholic drinks — like is allowed in New Orleans or the Las Vegas strip.
“Bars will not have to close down completely, but may still offer outdoor seating and use creative methods like cocktails-to-go in hopes that we can bring our numbers down,” Whitmer said. “I am hopeful providing options for cocktails-to-go and expanded social districts will ensure these businesses can remain open and Michiganders can safely and responsibly enjoy their summer outdoors.”
The state already lets bars and restaurants sell unopened beer and wine to go, but this expands on that to allow mixed drinks — in sealed containers — to be sold by licensed bars and restaurants for pickup or delivery, though 2025.
Supporters say the bills will give Michigan’s hospitality industry another tool to help make up for the financial losses suffered during the COVID-19 crisis, and allow people to space out outdoors.
"As you know, we are at 50% (restaurant a bar capacity due to COVID-19) and we don't know how long we're gonna be at that for," Scott Ellis, with Michigan Licensed Beverage Association, said in an interview with WWJ's Dan Jenkins, last week."So every little bit that can help us will help us right now."
Ellis said he's excited about the drinking districts, which he said some Michigan cities have been "clamoring for" regardless of COVID-19. Different from the cocktails-to-go, this will allow the sale of open drinks for consumption on-site, in designated areas.
"The idea is to allow people to visit many different places in that district, and the bars and restaurants in that area can maybe chip in for a band outside and create an entertainment area there," Ellis said. "San Antonio's been doing it for years, Ohio's been doing it for over a year. And this would allow the districts, the cities to create those in that area, and bars and restaurants can participate in it."
Ellis said, while it will be up to municipalities to decide, he does expect we'll see these social districts popping up in Michigan this summer.
These laws take immediate effect.
Meanwhile, Ellis is less than pleased by Whitmer's order shutting down indoor service.
He said his group believes will have no other choice but to close, because selling only carry-out food and drinks is not a viable business model.
“The governor has effectively hurt every local small-town bar in the state – establishments that aren’t the bad actors,” said Ellis. “Instead of focusing on problem bars or problem areas, she’s going to kill businesses that are abiding by all of the rules and still struggling to survive."
Michiganders should note that laws regarding open alcohol containers in vehicles remain the same.