ALBANY (WBEN) — Calls are mounting across New York State for Gov. Andrew Cuomo to rescind the 11 p.m. curfew on bars and restaurants.
New York State Senate Republican Leader Robert Ortt believes there is no reason to close restaurants and bars at 11 p.m. every day.
"There's no science that at 10:59 you're not able to spread, but at 11:01 you are," he said.
Last week, the governor announced that the curfew on gyms, movie theaters and casinos would be lifted at the beginning of April. Since that announcement, Ortt and other Republicans in Albany have been calling for an end to the curfew on eateries across the state.
"The curfew has been lifted for other things, but not for bars and restaurants, and it's high-time that that happens," Ortt told WCBS 880.
State Assembly Minority Leader Will Barkley agrees, saying that restaurants are struggling and need all the help they can get to recover.
"This is having a real extreme economic impact on those restaurants and bars," he said.
Republicans would need Democrats to join them to be able to rescind Cuomo's order.
The same issue is also being raised in lawsuits across the state. One of them in Rochester was successful in getting the curfew lifted but only for restaurants in the area.
Connecticut has the same 11 p.m. curfew, New Jersey did away with its curfew last month.
