FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 13, 2020 Media Contact: [email protected] Governor Whitmer Signs Executive Order Offering Financial Relief for Bars and Restaurants With On- Premises Liquor Licenses LANSING, Mich. — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer today signed Executive Order 2020-46, tasking the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) with initiating a spirits buy-back program to offer financial relief to bars and restaurants with on-premises liquor licenses affected by Executive Order 2020-9 during the continuing COVID-19 crisis. The order empowers the MLCC to use its revolving fund to buy spirits remaining in inventory from bars and restaurants that purchased the spirits prior to March 16, 2020 for their full purchase price. Liquor licensees approved for the program have until 90 days after the state’s emergency and disasters declarations are lifted to re-purchase the spirits from the MLCC. “Michigan’s 8,500 on-premises liquor licensees continue to make unprecedented sacrifices to help slow the spread of COVID-19 across our state,” Governor Whitmer said. “This buy-back program will help our bars and restaurants critical to Michigan’s economy weather the storm through this challenging time in our history.” The Michigan Liquor Control Commission is expected to meet on April 14, 2020, to take official action regarding this executive order. Licensees must make their request no later than Friday, April 17, 2020, at 5 p.m., using the online form on the MLCC website. Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus. To view executive order 2020-46, click the link below: This press release will be translated and made available in Arabic and Spanish at www.michigan.gov/whitmer. |
