Bill to help Pennsylvania restaurants, bars recover from COVID losses signed into law

By Natalie Kapustik | The Center Square contributor

HARRISBURG, PA – Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has signed legislation into law to help restaurant and bar owners recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

House Bill 425, sponsored by Rep. Matthew Dowling, R-Uniontown, initially was introduced to help restaurants and bars with liquor licenses that are closing sell their remaining liquor or wine to other qualified licensees. The current law allows an establishment to sell unused product only to the entity that purchases their liquor license.

As the bill advanced, it was expanded to address bars and restaurants serving alcoholic beverages in outdoor seating areas. The bill allows the Liquor Control Board to extend the licensed premises of a liquor license holder to include outdoor serving areas and to remove certain restrictions on off-premises catered functions until Dec. 31, 2024.

The law also adds an additional year of safekeeping to any restaurant, eating place, retail dispenser, hotel, distributor, club or catering club license that was in safekeeping during the emergency disaster declaration.

“Many businesses have been hit hard by the pandemic and associated restrictions, and few more so than the bar and restaurant industry,” Dowling said. “This law will help those who made the difficult decision to close permanently, as well as those who are still struggling to survive.”

The law takes effect immediately.