UPDATE: 1:42 p.m. We apologize for the continued updates. The announcement was made without supporting documents. Here’s the official language just released moments ago from the State of Florida:
“All vendors licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises who derive more than 50% of gross revenue from such sales of alcoholic beverages shall suspend such sales of alcoholic beverages for the consumption on the premises. Such vendors may continue to sell alcoholic beverages in sealed containers for consumption off the premises in accordance with Executive Order 20-71, Sections 1 and 2.
Vendors who are also licensed as public food establishments or “restaurants” under Chapter 509, Florida Statutes, may continue to operate for on-premises consumption of food an beverages at tables pursuant to the restrictions in Executive Order 20-139, so long as these vendors derive 50 percent or less of gross revenue from the sale of alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption.
This Emergency Order shall take effect on the date of its filing (which is June 26th, 2020 — now).
UPDATE: 1:37 p.m. The order was JUST released. You can download it below. We’ll have a write-through shortly but the entire PDF can be downloaded.
UPDATE: 1:23 p.m.: Gov. DeSantis is holding a news conference set for 2:30 p.m.
UPDATE: 12:56 p.m.: This is still very much a developing story, but in an update from DBPR on social media, the order is apparently for STANDALONE bars only. More to come… There is no printed order yet.
BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) — Florida Governor Ron DeSantis just announced that all bars in Florida must close — or at the very least stop serving alcohol — immediately.
The announcement comes as Florida logs more than 10,000 new cases of COVID-19 in a single day.
The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation issued this statement:
“Effective immediately, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation is suspending on premises consumption of alcohol at bars statewide.”
It was not immediately clear what the definition of “bar” will be for this order, although previous orders have used the “50 percent” rule. If the bar makes more than 50 percent of its revenue from alcohol, it’s a bar. If there is a bar in a restaurant that is serving alcohol to diners sitting at tables, that restaurant ‘should’ be able to continue. But a standalone bar at the restaurant may need to stop serving.
This is a developing story. We will publish the official executive order as soon as we receive it.
