Hochul Pitches Plan To Permanently Legalize To-Go Drinks

LONG ISLAND, NY — A popular pandemic panacea may become permanent: Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a plan to support the recovery of the hospitality industry in New York — including a proposal to permanently legalize to-drinks.

On Wednesday, Hochul announced efforts to support restaurants and bars, which also included ensuring a "more efficient" State Liquor Authority.

"We think about how hard the restaurant and the hospitality industry was hit during this pandemic," Hochul said. "We lost, at one point, 64 percent of our workers. It was just devastating."

How New York finds its way back and how the state re-energizes the industry "will really be a signal that New York is back, when every single restaurant that was shut down, every single bar, every single hotel, everything is back — but back even better than before," she said.

Hochul also announced proposals to update the state's liquor laws and to fund operational improvements at the State Liquor Authority to revitalize the state's multi-billion-dollar hospitality industry, one of the industries hit hardest by the pandemic. To ensure SLA's policies are as smart, efficient, and effective as possible, Hochul directed the SLA to consult with industry representatives and stakeholders to review existing laws and identify red tape.

"I want everybody to know that New York State is not just open for business: we are open for the best, most vibrant, exciting businesses in this country. So, to the rest of the world, 'C'mon back, we are open.' We are so excited to welcome everyone back after the long pandemic."

The SLA has been doing what they can with the resources they've been given, Hochul said, "but they have over 75,000 applications. That's extraordinary."

Those applications include 14,000 licensed applications, 30,000 renewals, 20,000 special events, and 10,000 other, she said.

The SLA has 114 employees — with 30 dedicated to review of those 75,000 applications, Hochul said. "That is impossible. And they also have a backlog of 3,700 applications. That's something we're going to deal with right now."

Hochul said the state would allocate $2 million to hire 39 more employees and 30 people dedicated exclusively to the backlog. Processing time, which currently takes on average about 26 weeks, will be shaved down to almost nothing, she said.

The to-go drinks have been embraced by the public, Hochul said. "Who would have thought that this would be the most popular item in my entire budget? I've got $10 billion for healthcare and education, $31 billion, $32.8 billion for infrastructure. We've got all these great projects, but the one thing that went viral was to-go drinks. You've got to love New York, right?"

The idea to permanently allow the bars and restaurants to sell to-go drinks — a critical revenue stream — will be processed, with input from the industry and the public, Hochul said.

"This is what kept people afloat during those dark months and years of the pandemic," she said. "And there has been a change in people's attitudes. There's an expectation now. So why set us backwards?"

The idea of outdoor dining will also be furthered post-pandemic, Hochul said, with the state allocating funds to helping businesses recoup costs for things such as outdoor heaters and scaffolding.