Alcohol to go from restaurants gets closer to becoming permanent as Texas House gives initial approval

The Texas House gave initial approval Wednesday to legislation that would allow restaurants to sell alcohol to go beyond the coronavirus pandemic.

The chamber signed off on House Bill 1024 to permanently allow beer, wine and mixed drinks to be included in pickup and delivery food orders and secure a revenue stream made available to restaurants in the last year in an effort to help those businesses when they closed their dining areas.

The House will need to give the bill another vote before it’s sent over to the Senate, where a version of the measure must still be approved by a committee before it can be considered by the full chamber.