A Maricopa County Judge has ruled that Governor Doug Ducey’s action to allow restaurants to sell alcohol to-go during the pandemic was illegal.
The ruling comes after a group of bar owners sued the governor over his executive order requiring bars to close during the COVID-19 surge earlier this year. That order also allowed restaurants to sell alcohol to-go for consumption off-site. The plaintiffs maintain the move undermined their businesses. Bars typically hold different liquor licenses than restaurants, and tend to be much more expensive. Monday’s ruling says the state constitution does not allow Governor Ducey to ignore already-existing state laws.
