Over a year into pandemic, Wisconsin bars, restaurants can now sell cocktails to go

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Bars and restaurants in Wisconsin can sell cocktails to go starting on Sunday.

Gov. Tony Evers signed the bill into law Friday, just before happy hour, but it won’t take effect until after it’s published on Sunday.

The bill won bipartisan approval in the Legislature, which went from mid-April to mid-February — nearly 10 months — without passing a single piece of legislation.

The law will allow for mixed drinks and glasses of wine to be sold to go as long as they have tamper-evident seals. It takes effect immediately.

The drinks could be sold for pickup only, not delivery. More than 30 states have similar laws.

The Wisconsin Grocers Association and the Wisconsin Public Health Association were the only registered opponents to the measure. Supporters include groups representing the state’s tourism, hotel and lodging industries, bars and restaurants.

Supporters have been pushing for the law change for a year, saying it offers another way for bars and restaurants suffering from drops in attendance to get by during the pandemic.