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Effective July 1, restaurants in Virginia will be able to advertise their happy hour specials legally.

That means restaurants that offer $5 margaritas from 4 to 7 p.m., or $2 beers from noon to 8 p.m. every day, or $3 wine on Wednesdays can actually tell people about it — on their websites, on social media, in a sign in the window or in a paid advertisement.

“We’re going to take big advantage,” said Chris Staples, director of hospitality and marketing for EAT Restaurant Partners.

The EAT group owns 11 Richmond-area restaurants, including Fat Dragon and Pizza and Beer of Richmond, and Staples said the group has always had stellar drink specials during happy hour, but it couldn’t tell anyone about them.

“Now we’re going to stand on the rooftops telling people how great it is — seven days a week in all of our locations,” he said. “And who doesn’t want to know about great drink specials?”

The new rules are thanks to the happy hour legislation approved by the Virginia General Assembly this year. The Senate and the House of Delegates passed proposals to expand restaurants’ ability to advertise happy hours and the price of featured alcoholic beverages.