The state of Florida is once again suspending the consumption of alcohol on the premises at bars amid a spike in COVID-19 cases.
Effective immediately, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation is suspending on premises consumption of alcohol at bars statewide.
— Florida DBPR (@FloridaDBPR) June 26, 2020
The state's Department of Business and Professional Regulation made the announcement Friday morning.
The news comes as Florida continues to set records for daily increases in COVID-19 cases, with Friday's numbers showing nearly 9,000 new cases.
In the emergency order, Halsey Beshears, Secretary of Florida's Department of Business and Professional Regulation orders the following:
- Vendors licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on their premises, that derive more their 50% of gross revenue from those sales, have to suspend the sales of alcohol for consumption on the premises
- Those vendors may continue to sell alcoholic beverages in sealed containers for consumption off the premises
- Restaurants may continue to sell alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption as long as 50% or less of their gross revenue comes from the sale of alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption
Read the order below
Bars were allowed to reopen earlier this month as part of Governor DeSantis' Phase 2 of reopening.
It is unclear at this time if any of the other Phase 2 reopenings will be impacted by this.
The order goes into effect immediately.