The state Senate passed the Boozy Brunch Bill, S.3106/A.6766, last week with unanimous support.

The bill was sponsored by state Sen. Anna M. Kaplan (D-North Hills) and state Assemblywoman Judy Griffin (D-Rockville Centre) would allow liquor and wine stores to open earlier on Sunday, moving the time from Noon to 10 AM.

Kaplan said “Under our current laws, you can order a mimosa at a restaurant at 10 a.m. on a Sunday morning, but you can’t buy the ingredients to make one at home. The present situation isn’t just unfair to New Yorkers in need of libations on a Sunday morning, it’s also unfair to small businesses who are restricted from selling products that other establishments are able to.”

Griffin said “This bill is another example of keeping up with the times and getting government out of the way so that our local businesses can best serve their customers. Working with Senator Kaplan, we listened to our shops and entrepreneurs by taking on an outdated area of state law. Our local businesses have been through so much due to the pandemic, and need to know there are lawmakers who are responsive to their concerns and respond with solutions. I am thankful for Senator Anna Kaplan’s tireless work as Small Business Chair to see this bill through the Senate and onto the Assembly and Governor to update the law.”

In 2016, an Alcoholic Beverage Control Law Workgroup was empaneled and made recommendations for reform of the State’s ABC laws.

One of the changes that was ultimately made was to move the time that a restaurant could serve alcohol on Sundays to 10 a.m., creating Boozy Brunch.

Prior to that time, the law had been the same for the sale of alcohol at restaurants as well as what time liquor stores were permitted to open on Sunday. The legislation passed this week by Senator Kaplan seeks to realign these times creating parity between restaurants and stores.