(The Center Square) – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill allowing alcohol to be sold at college sporting events and another bill making cocktails-to-go permanent.
“The bipartisan bills I am signing today are about fairness, safety, and revenue,” Whitmer said in a statement. “Michigan State University and the University of Michigan are two of three Big Ten schools prohibited by law from selling alcohol. Authorizing the legal sale of alcohol at sporting events will bring us on equal footing with other universities, help reduce the likelihood of binge drinking before games, and bring in a heck of a lot more revenue that we can use to improve the student experience.”
Senate Bill 247 allows public universities to sell liquor at sporting venues.
Currently, 11 of the 14 Big Ten schools allow the sale of alcohol, including Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio State, Purdue, Penn State, Rutgers, Minnesota, Northwestern, Wisconsin, and Iowa. Before today, Michigan State University and The University of Michigan were two of only three schools in the Big Ten to prohibit the sale of alcohol at sporting events.
Whitmer and lawmakers claim that giving easier access to alcohol inside stadiums could reduce binge drinking meant to keep them intoxicated for the duration of the game- often several hours.
SB 141 makes permanent cocktails-to-go for restaurants, a provision enacted during COVID when Whitmer shuttered dine-in service at bars and restaurants for months.
Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Detroit, welcomed the change and claimed that three years into cocktails-to-go, they resulted in “zero reported violations or safety issues.”
“Necessity is the mother of invention,” McMorrow said in a statement. “When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted every aspect of our lives, we knew that our small business [sic]- especially restaurants – were hit hard. Alongside colleagues, I introduced legislation in May 2020 to temporarily allow restaurants to serve “cocktails to go,” as residents stepped up to order carry-out even if they couldn’t visit their favorite restaurant in person.”
Michigan is the 23rd state to make cocktails to-go permanent in support of local businesses and consumers, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.
“Michigan consumers can now enjoy the added convenience of cocktails to-go on a permanent basis,” DISCUS senior vice president and head of state public policy Andy Deloney said in a statement. “Not only do cocktails to-go afford adult consumers the ability to take home their favorite hand-crafted cocktails, but they help support local hospitality businesses facing economic hardships. We applaud Governor Whitmer and the Legislature for making cocktails to-go permanent in support of Michigan’s consumers and businesses.”
