SAN ANTONIO – Starting this weekend, Texans will no longer have to wait until 12 p.m. to buy a 12 pack of beer on Sundays.
A new law signed by Gov. Greg Abbott in May, HB 1518, takes effect today. It allows retailers who sell beer and wine for off-site consumption, like grocery and convenience stores, to begin selling at 10 a.m. on Sundays, instead of noon.
Grocery and convenience stores can also sell beer and wine from 7 a.m. to midnight Monday through Friday and from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Saturday night/Sunday morning.
The new law also permits hotel bars to sell alcohol to their registered guests at any time.
The new law does not affect the rules pertaining to other bar and restaurants’ alcohol sales on Sunday, such as the food requirement for drinks served between 10 a.m. and noon, nor does it affect the Sunday closure of liquor stores.
Abbott also signed a bill to permanently allow the sale of alcohol with take-out orders from restaurants. Beer, wine and mixed drinks can be included with food orders. Read more on that here.