Alcohol to-go passed by legislature, heads to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk

A bill that would make alcohol to-go permanent is headed to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk after passing out of the Texas Senate on Wednesday.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurants with mixed beverage permits have been able to sell drinks to-go to. North Texas lawmakers Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth, and Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills, helped push to make the measure permanent in their respective chambers.

House Bill 1024, authored by Geren, passed out of the Senate and is headed to Abbott for his signature.

“Texas restaurants took a serious hit during the pandemic,” Hancock, who authored the Senate version of the bill, said in a statement. “Something as simple as letting Texans safely pick up and transport a cocktail from their local restaurant allowed thousands of businesses to keep operating, employ staff, and serve their communities for years to come.”

According to the bill, beverages must be picked up in a tamper-proof container with a food order. Customers must also show valid ID.

The bill passed out of the House in March. Whether or not Abbott signs the bill into law remains to be seen, but the governor has previously signaled support for the measure.

“From what I hear from Texans, we may just let this keep going on forever,” Abbott wrote on Twitter last April.