MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama alcohol regulators have lifted restrictions on bar and restaurant operating hours that were imposed in the summer to stem the spread of the new coronavirus.
Members of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board voted Tuesday to eliminate an emergency rule that required businesses to stop selling alcohol at 11 p.m. and close 30 minutes later. The also approved new rules for mask wearing, social distancing and cleaning that were written in conjunction with the businesses.
The decision comes with cases of COVID-19 increasing at a slower rate after months of a statewide rule requiring masks in public.