Lawmakers propose alcohol to-go for restaurants and bars

Michigan lawmakers are working to legalize adding alcoholic beverages to bars, restaurants, and distilleries' takeout menus.

MEANS... TAKEOUT AND DELIVERYARE THE STILL ONLY WAYS TOSUPPORT YOUR FAVORITE SPOTS.AND NOW... MICHIGAN LAWMAKERSARE TRYING TO EXPAND THAT TO-GOSERVICE... TO INCLUDECOCKTAILS AS WELL.FOX 47'S CHRISTIANA FORD HAS THESTORY."UNDER CURENT STATE LAW MICHIGANBARS, RESTUARANTS ANDDISTILLERIES WHO HOLD ASPECIALLY DESIGNATED MERCHANTLISCENE CAN SELL PACKAGED BEERAND WINE BUT NOT COCKTAILS ANDSO THIS IS WHY BUINESEES TODYARE TELLING THESE PROPOSEDCHANGES WOULD MEAN AWWOULD BE A GAME CHANGER""WE HAVE 6 OR 8 COCKTAILS THATWE DO, THEY'RE THREE DOLLARS"AT GREEN DOT STAPLES IN EASTLANSING-- ALONG WITH THEIRFAMOUS SLIDERS THE SPECIALTYCOCKTAILS AREKNOWN FOR BRINGING IN THECROWDS.THEY OFFICALLY OPEN BACK UP FORTAKEOUT ON THURSDAY, BUT FORMANY BARS AND RESTURANTSPROFITS ARE WAY DOWN.THE MICHIGAN LICENSED BEVERAGEASSOCIATION IS ESTIMATING OF THE8500 BUSINESSES LICENSED TOSELL ALCHOL IN THE STATE ALMOST30 TO 40 PERCENT OF THEM MAYNEVER OPEN AGAIN."THE RESTUARANT AND BAR BUSINESSHAS JUST BEEN DECIMATED BY THISSHUTDOWN"NOW A FEW MICHIGAN LAWMAKERS AREJUMPING AT THE CHANCE TO CHANGETHAT.INTRODUCING BILLS THAT WOULDALLOW TAKEOUT ALCHOHOLIC DRINKSAND PUBLIC CONSUMPTION INDESIGNATED AREAS."I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TOKIND OF INCENTIVISE PEOPLE TOCOME TO THE AREA.

YOU EVEN IF WEARE DOIGN TAKEOUT OR CURBSIDEPICKUP YOU CAN GRAB SOME FOOD ACOCKTAIL, YOU COULD SIT INTHE GRASS""WE WANT TO GIVE TO GIVE THESEBUSINESSES A LIFELINE.

WE WANTTO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR WHOLEMENU IS OPEN FOR CUSTOMERS SOTHAT THEY CAN SURVIVE"ONE BILL WOULD ALLOW LOCALGOVERNMENTS TO SET SOCIALDISTRICTS FOR PUBLICCONSUMPTION.THERE WOULD BE STRICT GUIDLINESON PACKAGING AND LABLING.THE BUSINESSES LOGO WOULD HAVETO BE VISIBLE."YOU COULD TAKE EXAMPLE THE 500BLOCK OF EAST SHIAWASSI THATCOULD BE SHUTDOWN WHERE PEOPLECAN WALK FROM LANSING BREWING TOMICHIGRAIN DISTILLERY AND IFTHEY OPEN IT ALL THE WAY UP TOMICHIGAN AVENUE PEOPLE CAN WALKFROM ALL THE WAY THERE AND HAVETHAT WHOLE ENTERTAINMENTDISTRICT"THERE IS THE QUESTION ABOUT HOWTHE CONTROLS WILL WORK ANDWHAT'S TO PREVENT SOMEONE FROMDRINKING AND HOPPING IN THEIRCAR."WE EXPECT THAT RESPONSIBLEADULTS ARE GOING TO ENJOY THEIRALCOHOLIC BEVERAGERESPONSIBLY.

WE'RE ALWAYS GOINGTO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH PEIOPLEWHO CAN'T SEEM TOFOLLOW THOSE RULES AND WE'REGOING TO NEED TO ENFORCE THERULES JUST LIUEK WE ALWAYS HAVE"CHRISTIANA FORD FOX 47THERE ARE CURRENLY THREEPROPOSED BILLS IN THELEGISLATURE... INTRODUCED BYDEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS.ALL WOULD AMEND THE "LIQUORCONTROL ACT OF 19-98"... ANDWOULD NEED TO BE REVIEWEDBY THE REGULATORY REFORMCOMMITTEE.GOVERNOR WHITMER HAS NOT YETWEIGHED IN ON THE ISSU