End Unscientific, Arbitrary Mandates on Restaurants & Bars

ALBANY – 03/22/21 – Senator Peter Oberacker (R/C-Schenevus) today joined with members of the Senate and Assembly Republican Conferences at the Capitol in Albany to announce the introduction of a concurrent resolution (J541) to rescind Governor Cuomo’s arbitrary 11:00 p.m. curfew for bars and restaurants.

“Throughout the pandemic the governor has implored everybody to ‘follow the science’ however that is a principle he fails to observe,” said Senator Peter Oberacker.  “Think about it, you can play pool after 11:00 p.m., but you can’t eat a hamburger – this makes no sense.”

Last November, Governor Cuomo issued Executive Order 202.74 that imposed a 10 p.m. curfew for bars, restaurants, gyms, fitness centers, and other facilities throughout the state. Earlier this year, he extended the curfew to 11 p.m., and just last week, lifted it altogether for gyms, fitness centers, casinos, movie theaters, bowling alleys, and billiard halls beginning April 5. However, he left the arbitrary and damaging rule in place for bars and restaurants, saying it would be reevaluated next month.

“Restaurants and bars have been among the hardest hit sectors of our economy over the past year.  Owners and staff alike have worked to constantly reinvent how they go about their day-to-day business just to stay afloat.  Too many restaurants have closed permanently due to the pandemic and we need to throw a lifeline to those that remain before even more are lost due to arbitrary, unscientific mandates from the governor.  If changes are not made soon, last call will take on a much more devastating meaning,” added Senator Oberacker.

Senator Oberacker is cosponsoring concurrent resolution J541 to end the 11:00 p.m. curfew for bars and restaurants.  Additionally, Senator Oberacker is cosponsoring another concurrent resolution, B477, that would rescind the governor’s mandate prohibiting bars and restaurants from serving alcoholic beverages to patrons who do not order food.

-30-