The emergence of to-go cocktails was one of the small silver linings of the pandemic. And though they were unexpectedly canned in the summer of 2021, the state budget passed with the new to-go cocktail legislation included back in April 2022.
And though the legislation only guaranteed to-go cocktails through April 2025 rather than permanently, that may change if all goes according to Governor Kathy Hochul’s plan.
According to Gothamist, Hochul is proposing a permanent extension of the New York’s current laws regarding to-go alcohol as part of a series of amendments to her $233 billion budget proposal.
Hochul’s office reportedly told Gothamist to-go cocktails have been “wildly successful for bars, restaurants and everyday New Yorkers,” stating that it’s long overdue to legalize to-go cocktails permanently.
According to the National Restaurant Association, 20 states have permanently legalized to-go cocktails since the start of the pandemic, and New York could potentially be the twenty first state to do so.
Hochul and state lawmakers will negotiate the issue during the state budget talks. A final budget is due by the end of March.