SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Today, the Minnesota House approved legislation to allow restaurants with on-sale liquor licenses to sell certain alcoholic beverages with a takeout food order during the current COVID-19 peacetime emergency. Diners can purchase beverages limited to a 750ml bottle of wine or six-pack of beer, wine, cider, or hard seltzer in their unopened, original packaging along with their meal.
State Rep. Tina Liebling (DFL – Rochester) voted for the legislation and issued the following statement:
“The bipartisan legislation we approved today is a small step to help some of our restaurants get through during this difficult time. The ability to sell wine and beer with meals will provide a new way for some establishments – especially the small, locally-owned restaurants – to improve revenues during this time when sales are drastically reduced.”
“Minnesotans have done very well by following the governor’s direction to stay home, and we are far better off than we could have been. I am so proud of Minnesotans and the great institutions, like Mayo Clinic and the University of Minnesota that are in this fight with all of us. While we still don’t have enough testing capacity, ICU bed capacity, or PPE availability to allow for a complete reopening of our economy, I am working with the administration to move in that direction as quickly as we safely can.”