ENCOURAGING NEWS, FRIENDS!

State Senator (district 18) Jeff Irwin, who serves Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, and surrounding areas, is working on a bill that will support bars and restaurants by allowing alcohol for take out.  More details should be surfacing soon, but here is an email from Jeff earlier this week:

“Thank you for contacting me about this. 

As you know, COVID-19 has rapidly spread across Michigan over the past two months, changing the lives of everyone across the state. To combat this and reduce the spread of the virus, Governor Whitmers recently extended EO 2020-69 to keep all restaurants and bars closed through May 28th. 

While this Executive Order does not allow the sale of to-go alcohol products, I support Michigan following many other states' lead on this and permitting sales of takeout alcohol from bars and restaurants. As long as social distancing guidelines are followed, it makes sense to me that takeout alcohol would not be more likely than regular takeout food products to spread COVID-19. Allowing the sales of takeout alcohol also helps bars to stay afloat during this time and will provide much needed revenue to their businesses. 

Although the Governor has not yet issued any more executive orders on these issues, I am currently working on a bill in the State Senate that will permit the sale of takeout alcohol beverages for off site consumption, as long as the business follows the existing food law and alcohol laws that are governed by the MLCC. This should aid restaurants and bars that are struggling, but I will continue to look at some of the other issues outlined in the email and petition and see if any of them can be tackled through other legislation. I will also communicate your thoughts on this to the Governor's office and support opening all restaurants and bars as soon as it is safe to do so.

Once again, thank you for contacting me about this issue. If you have any further questions about this, or another issue, please contact my office again. 

Sincerely,

Jeff Irwin

The Office of State Senator Jeff Irwin

E-mail: senjirwin@senate.michigan.gov