Gov. DeSantis signs 'alcohol to go' bill in Ormond Beach

Ormond Beach Observer
News

Gov. Ron DeSantis visited Ormond Beach on Thursday, May 13, where he signed the "alcohol to go" bill at Houligans.

The law, formerly SB 148 and HB 329, authorizes restaurants and other food service establishments to sell or deliver alcoholic beverages in sealed containers to be consumed outside of the business, when patrons also order food. Last year when restaurants were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, DeSantis passed an executive order that allowed the businesses to sell and deliver alcohol to go, as indoor dining was shuttered.

Seeing that the practice worked, DeSantis said it was something that needed to be made permanent. Restaurants were targeted during the pandemic, the governor said, and did not turn out to be "a big problem" for spreading the virus. In Florida, restaurants have been fully reopened since the summer of 2020.

“It’s probably the most difficult year that the restaurant industry has had to face — certainly in recent times — and yet you look at Florida, not that it was a piece of cake, but now, this industry is really thriving in Florida," DeSantis said.

Houligans co-owner and founder Tim Curtis said shutting down indoor dining was a challenge, but that he and his employees quickly adapted to to-go orders and delivery. Being able to sell alcohol to go aided in that effort.

“We didn’t miss a beat," Curtis said. 'Friday nights, four o’clock to nine o’clock, without a single person in our restaurant, we were still doing the same level of sales. God bless my employees for everything they do, God bless the governor and God bless everybody for the hard work, the aggressive approach that they had to get us back to work and to keep us in business.”

The hospitality industry was one of the most impacted business sectors during the pandemic, said Julie Brown, secretary of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Many businesses had to be creative, resourceful and persistent, and the sale and delivery of alcohol to go was a critical link to success, she said.

“With this bill, and permanently extending these options, Florida is recognizing responsible alcoholic beverage regulation, while also being receptive to the realities of the modern business climate we’re in," Brown said.