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Wolff's Biergarten in Syracuse, shown here, and other licensed bars and restaurants, will be able to sell alcoholic beverages two hours earlier on Sundays under a deal reached Tuesday, June 14, 2016 by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Legislature's leaders. Photo by Deanna Fox.

(Deanna Fox)

ALBANY, N.Y. -- New York state taverns and restaurants will be allowed to sell alcoholic beverages two hours earlier on Sundays, beginning at 10 a.m., under a deal announced Tuesday by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

This will let restaurants that have Sunday brunches sell alcoholic drinks to their customers before noon, which led to the legislation being referred to as the "brunch bill."

The governor and Legislature's leaders agreed to an overhaul of the state's alcohol law, including eliminating the ban on businesses selling alcoholic beverages for consumption on premises before noon on Sundays.

Restaurants and bars will also be allowed to apply for a permit, limited to twelve per year, to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises as early as 8 a.m. in areas outside New York City.

This will allow the Buffalo Bills to apply for a permit to sell alcohol inside Ralph Wilson Stadium before 10 a.m. Sunday when there's a home game.

The agreement still must be approved by lawmakers in the state Senate and Assembly. The lawmakers are in the final three days of their legislative session. The Legislature will break for the year on Thursday to allow lawmakers to focus on their re-election campaigns.

"People want to go have brunch on Sundays, and some people like to have mimosas," state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said of the agreement. "It's not so much we want to encourage people to drink. But it was more of a comfort thing. People like to have a mimosa with brunch on Sunday mornings."

The deal also:

Eliminates paperwork requirements for craft manufacturers: At the 2012 Wine, Beer and Spirits Summit, Cuomo ended the State Liquor Authority's policy prohibiting multiple manufacturing licenses at the same location, recognizing the burdens this placed, for example, on a small winery that wanted to also make whiskey. However, businesses holding multiple licenses must still file paperwork and renewals for each separate license. The agreement combines craft manufacturing licenses into one application to reduce burdensome paperwork for these small businesses.

Authorizes the sale of wine in growlers: Current law requires that wine sold at retail for off-premises consumption be kept in their original sealed containers, and consequently, New York wineries are prohibited from filling growlers. The agreement allows wineries to fill their customers' growlers and allows wineries and farm wineries to allow customers to take home partially finished bottles of wine.

Reduces fees for craft beverage salespeople: The ABC Law currently requires that any salesperson or solicitor employed by a manufacturer or wholesaler must obtain a solicitor's permit in addition to a bond. The agreement eliminates the fee for a solicitor's permit for craft manufacturers and removes the bond requirement for all manufacturers.

Reduces fees for small wholesalers: The primary business of most alcohol beverage wholesalers is selling their products to licensed retailers, such as bars, restaurants and liquor stores. However, there are small wholesalers in New York that sell limited number of brands they import directly to large wholesalers for distribution to retailers. Under the current law, these small wholesalers must pay the same amount for their license as their larger counterparts, with costs ranging from $1,460 for a one-year beer license to $27,280 for a three-year liquor wholesale license. This financial burden often requires these small businesses to make a choice between continuing to hold a New York wholesale license or to relocate their business outside of New York. The agreement amends the ABC Law to create a low-cost "importer's license" that would be available to wholesalers that sell only to other wholesalers.

Authorizes gift wrapping: The agreement allows liquor stores to sell gift wrapping and gift bags to their customers.

"There was broad consensus between the Governor and Legislature that New York's blue laws were outdated and in need of reform, specifically the provision which barred those enjoying brunch from purchasing an alcoholic beverage before noon on Sunday," Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan said. "Working with our colleagues in government, I am pleased we were able to arrive at an agreement to make common-sense changes that reduce red tape and eliminate regulations, help businesses grow and thrive, and reflect the overwhelming wishes of consumers all across this state."

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