New York makes changes to alcohol laws, okays sale of liquor at movie theaters

Matthew Euzarraga
·1 min read
11

NEW YORK (PIX11) – With the enactment of the 2025 budget, there are some significant changes to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law.

Drinking a Martini while watching a James Bond film could be coming soon with the expansion of liquor licenses to movie theatres and other businesses.

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“Cheers to Governor Hochul, the Assembly, and the Senate for adopting a number of important changes to the alcoholic beverage control laws as part of this year’s state budget,” Scott Wexler, the Executive Director of the Empire State Restaurant and Tavern Association said. “We’re especially pleased to see the continued emphasis on eliminating delays in licensing with the extension of authority to issue temporary retail permits.”

Currently, movie theaters in New York are only allowed to sell beer and wine, but the new legislation would add liquor to the mixture, according to the New York State Liquor Authority.

Changes include:

  • A 5-year extension allowing alcohol to go to continue through 2030.

  • The elimination of a 30-day waiting period to file a license after providing local notice.

  • Allows one-day event permits to also sell liquor, previously one-day events were only allowed to sell beer and wine.

  • Temporary permits for wholesale which allows applicants to operate while their full wholesale license application is pending.

Other business and guest-friendly measures include:

  • Eliminating a Prohibition-era law that required liquor stores to be located at street level to qualify for a license.

  • Allows liquor beverage sales in movie theaters. 

  • And makes outdoor dining permanent allowing the service of alcohol with food, the pandemic-era policy provision was set to expire on July 5, 2025.

This story comprises reporting from The Associated Press.

Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here.

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