LANSING (WWJ) -- To-go cocktails are a step closer to becoming permanent after the state senate passed a new bill in a near-unanimous vote.
Senate Bill 1163 would permanently legalize the popular to-go option for cocktails from restaurants, bars and distilleries.
In a Friday press release, the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DSC) and the Michigan Spirits Association (MSA) announced the passage of the bill, which will now go to the Michigan House for consideration.
The move to legalize to-go cocktails gained traction in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when bars and restaurants were struggling to stay afloat without revenue from alcohol sales.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed an initial House Bill into law in July 2020, permitting to-go cocktails in sealed containers until January 1, 2026.
"Cocktails to-go were instrumental in helping many Michigan distilleries navigate and survive the challenges of COVID," said Jon O'Connor, owner of Long Road Distillers and president of the Michigan Craft Distillers Association.
The option to pick up a cocktail curbside or take an extra drink home to enjoy later has proven popular among consumers, and the benefit to the economy has apparently made an impact on state legislators.
Across the U.S., 18 states have made to-go cocktails permanent, and 14 states have temporary laws on the books.
In Michigan, the new bill was almost fully supported -- with thirty-seven state senators voting in favor and only one opposed.
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