New Yorkers, rejoice: you will finally be able to order a mimosa at brunch without waiting for the stroke of noon.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation — dubbed the “Brunch Bill” — on Wednesday that permits the state’s restaurants and bars to start selling alcohol at 10 a.m. on Sundays, giving drinkers two more hours to imbibe.
The law was prompted by the recommendations of a task force Cuomo put together in May that was in charge of “developing recommendations to modernize the laws governing the manufacturing, wholesale and retail of alcoholic beverages in New York State.”
“The state liquor laws were basically written during the Prohibition era,” Cuomo said during a bill signing event in Rochester reported by the New York Daily News. “And they were very strict, and very restrictive.”
The earlier hours aren’t just a present for consumers, but are meant to help businesses who cater to sports fans, especially soccer fans who often get up early on the weekends to watch games happening overseas. To that end, bars and restaurants can also apply for a special license that allows them to sell alcohol as early as 8 a.m.
The law also makes it easier for small distilleries to get licenses and lets wineries sell their wares in growlers.
“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. “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.”
by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist