LaRe's Business Expansion & Safety Act Signed into Law

COLUMBUS – State Representative Jeff LaRe (R-Violet Township) today announced that Governor DeWine signed the Business Expansion and Safety Act into law.

The Business Expansion and Safety Act allows bars, restaurants, breweries and wineries to have greater flexibility to bring in more revenue and assist them in moving forward with a safer and more socially distanced friendly environment.

LaRe and his joint-sponsor on the legislation, D.J. Swearingen (R-Huron), are proud of the work they’ve put into the bill and are thrilled to see it being implemented into law.

“The Business Expansion and Safety Act works to give businesses the flexibility to expand their operations with the hope of leading to maximized revenue generation and making up for lost profits after the state shutdown,” said LaRe. “This is truly pro-business legislation that benefits both the sellers and consumers.”

The Business Expansion and Safety Act will do the following:

• Allow for retail permit holders to utilize more outside space on private or public property with approval from the local township or municipality while serving customers
• Codify into permanent law the “carry-out” drinks allowance by the Ohio Liquor Control Commission
• Allow for third party delivery for carryout alcohol for those over the age of 21
• Specify qualified permit holders must sell a meal with alcoholic to-go beverages, and prohibits qualified permit holders from selling more than three drinks per meal
• Sunset provisions within the bill relating to sales area expansion on December 21, 2022 and requires permit holders to notify DOLC and DPS of permit expansion ten days prior, instead of one

The bill has received support from several groups throughout the committee process including the Ohio Restaurant Association, Ohio Licensed Beverage Association, the Greater Ohio Policy Center the Buckeye Institution and others.

Due to the coronavirus, all Ohioans have had to adapt and change certain aspects of how they operate. The Business Expansion and Safety Act is adapting to what Ohio’s business climates have faced in order to continue to operate, try their best to draw in revenue and still keep Ohioans safe moving forward.

The legislation was originally passed out of the House on June 10, 2020. It was later passed by the Senate with added amendments on September 23, 2020 and the House concurred with said amendments. The Business Expansion and Safety Act includes an emergency clause and will become law effective immediately once the Governor signs the bill.

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For more information, contact Rep. LaRe’s office at (614) 466-8100 or rep77@ohiohouse.gov