AUSTIN, TX - The Texas Senate today passed HB 1024 by Rep. Charlie Geren and Sen. Kelly Hancock making to-go cocktails from your favorite restaurant a permanent perk of living in the great state of Texas.

“Texas restaurants took a serious hit during the pandemic," said Hancock, Chairman of the Senate Business & Commerce Committee. "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. I want to thank Chairman Geren and our colleagues for working together to help this bill move quickly."

In 2019, Hancock passed legislation allowing third-party delivery services like UberEats and DoorDash to deliver alcohol from restaurants. Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) rulemaking on that legislation was underway when the COVID-19 pandemic hit Texas, allowing similar, well-vetted rules to be adopted in Gov. Greg Abbott's March 2020 executive order letting customers directly take cocktails to-go when picking up a meal.

HB 1024 makes the Governor's waiver permanent and contains key safety provisions, including a requirement that all alcoholic beverages are either sealed in their original manufacturer-sealed container or in a tamper-proof container labeled with the business' name. To ensure compliance with open container laws, a restaurant-sealed mixed beverage also can't be transported in the passenger area of a vehicle.

Cheers, Texas! Please drink responsibly.

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