The cocktails-to-go law prompted by the pandemic would be extended for three more years, and bars and restaurants would be able to give a free drink to people who’ve been vaccinated against the coronavirus under a measure overwhelmingly approved Sunday in the Illinois Senate.
The measure, which was approved previously in the House and next goes to Gov. J.B. Pritzker, would allow businesses to continue serving cocktails — and now single servings of wine — for takeout and delivery until Jan. 3, 2024. The existing state law is set to expire Wednesday.
The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Sara Feigenholtz, a Chicago Democrat, received strong bipartisan support. Passed by the House last week, it was sent to Pritzker by the Senate on a 57-1 roll call, with Republican state Sen. Jason Plummer of Edwardsville casting the dissenting vote.
“It’s really important that we give our hospitality small businesses, independent businesses, every lever we can to stay alive and survive during this pandemic,” Feigenholtz said.
Supporters said the bill was a way to boost businesses that struggled through pandemic-induced closures and also encourages people to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
” ‘A shot for a shot,’ ‘a shot and a beer,’ it’s got many permutations, but it’s designed to help people get vaccinated,” sponsoring state Rep. Mike Zalewski, a Riverside Democrat, said Thursday before the House approved the measure with broad bipartisan support.
Rep. Tom Demmer, a Dixon Republican, called the package “a great initiative” that, in addition to encouraging people to get vaccinated, would “support the food and beverage industry, restaurants and bars, that were so dramatically impacted over the course of the last year and are now starting to open their doors to invite people back.”
Establishments would be allowed to give one free shot, beer or glass of wine between 6 and 10 p.m. to people who show a vaccination card and identification. The promotion could only be offered from June 10 through July 10, and bars and restaurants would be allowed to give a customer a free drink only once.
Local governments would be able to prohibit businesses from offering the promotion.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Wednesday introduced a broad package of proposals aimed at helping businesses as the pandemic eases and more people are vaccinated, including an extension of carryout cocktails that is contingent on Pritzker authorizing the extension statewide.
Under the state law, restaurants aren’t allowed to use third-party services like Grubhub or DoorDash to deliver cocktails or single-serving wine.
During debate late Sunday, Sen. Laura Murphy of Des Plaines said she had done “extensive research” in the northwest suburbs to make sure the rules and regulations were followed, drawing laughter from the chamber.
dpetrella@chicagotribune.com
