New Law Allows New York Restaurants To Start Serving Alcohol At 10 AM
ALBANY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- You'll now be able to order a Sunday mimosa, Bloody Mary or pint of beer two hours earlier in New York state.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday signed legislation allowing bars and restaurants to begin serving alcohol at 10 a.m. on Sunday. The previous time had been noon.
"New York's burgeoning craft beverage industry has served as an economic generator for communities across the state and with this legislation, we are building on that progress," Cuomo said in a press release.. "By cutting red tape, breaking down artificial barriers and rolling back arcane and burdensome regulations, we are setting the stage for this industry's continued resurgence and future growth and I am proud to sign it into law."
As WCBS 880's Alex Silverman reported, Cuomo said the law that existed for no good modern reason.
"Because the state liquor laws were basically written during the Prohibition era, and they were very strict and they were very restrictive," Cuomo said.
They were also bad for business. The restaurant and bar lobby pushed hard.
"Our challenge was to change the laws to actually facilitate business growth," Cuomo said.
The change is one of several included in the new law. It also cuts some fees and regulatory red tape for breweries, wineries, cider makers and distilleries and authorizes wineries to sell their product in growlers.
Cuomo says the reforms will help the fast-growing craft alcohol industry and reduce some of the burden of the state's prohibition-era liquor regulations.
(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
