Gov. McKee To Sign Bill Extending RI To-Go Alcohol Sales

PROVIDENCE, RI — Gov. Dan McKee will sign a bill Monday that will extend to-go alcohol sales in Rhode Island amid the coronavirus pandemic, the administration said Friday.

The Rhode Island Legislature passed the to-go alcohol bill in June, which extends authorized restaurants to offer certain amounts of beer, wine and mixed drinks with takeout orders, until March 1, 2022.

The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Hanna Gallo and Rep. Jacquelyn Baginski, allows businesses with a Class B liquor license to continue to offer up to two 750 ml bottles of wine, 72 ounces of a mixed-wine drinks, 144 ounces of beer, and mixed drinks with no more than nine ounces of distilled spirits. Drinks must be sold in factory-sealed containers or in a container that has been sealed in such a way that it cannot be reopened without obviously showing that the seal was broken or removed.

The legislation does not cover delivery orders.

Dale J. Venturini, the president and CEO of the Rhode Island Hospitality Association, lauded the bill after it passed the legislature.

"While we're fortunate that many of the COVID restrictions for businesses have been lifted, the restaurant industry in particular continues to suffer from the devastating economic impact of the last year and a half," Venturini said. "Our restaurants are in desperate need of every cent that comes their way."

A spokesperson for the McKee administration also said the governor will sign another bill Monday that prevents third-party delivery services like Uber Eats and Grubhub from listing a business without its consent.

Patch Editor Rachel Nunes contributed to this report.