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Restaurants' Relaxed Alcohol Carryout Policies Become Permanent After June

Lauren Chapman/IPB News

Restaurants that were temporarily able to sell alcohol for carryout during the pandemic get to do so permanently after June.

That's because of a new law, HB 1396, that will take effect July 1.

Some restaurants were only allowed to sell alcohol if people drank it in the establishment. Gov. Eric Holcomb temporarily eliminated those rules during the pandemic to help businesses survive.

Now, Holcomb is getting rid of those temporary policies, effective June 30. That's when the new provisions created by this year's legislation will take effect.

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Restaurants subject to the new law can sell alcohol for carryout, within certain parameters. That includes requirements like the restaurant employee taking the alcohol out to a car must be at least 21 years old, the area where the alcohol is being picked up must be "well lit" and within view of the restaurant's main entrance and the restaurant can only sell alcohol for carryout if the customer also purchased a meal for carryout.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story said the relaxed alcohol carryout rules for restaurants would end after June. That was incorrect. The temporary executive orders end after June. The new law then takes effect, establishing permanent carryout rules.

Contact reporter Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.

Brandon Smith is excited to be working for public radio in Indiana. He has previously worked in public radio as a reporter and anchor in mid-Missouri for KBIA Radio out of Columbia. Prior to that, he worked for WSPY Radio in Plano, Illinois as a show host, reporter, producer and anchor. His first job in radio was in another state capitol, in Jefferson City, Missouri, as a reporter for three radio stations around Missouri. Brandon graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism in 2010, with minors in political science and history. He was born and raised in Chicago.