On Friday, March 13, 2015 the House passed HB 535: Georgia Brunch Bill, allowing municipalities to opt in to permit their restaurants to start serving alcohol at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays. This bill creates a level playing field with state-owned facilities such as the Georgia World Congress Center, Lake Lanier Islands, as well as the many other private country clubs in Georgia.

The bill will now crossover and go to a vote in the Senate. If the Senate passes the bill and the Governor does not veto, it could essentially take about 60 days for municipalities to approve these new ordinances. The Georgia Restaurant Association worked closely with elected officials to support this initiative.

The passing of the Brunch Bill will have a huge economic impact on restaurants and the state of Georgia. Each restaurant that can sell alcoholic beverages in Georgia will generate an average of $480.77, or $25,000 per year. There are roughly 4,000 restaurants in Georgia that could benefit from this bill, which would mean a total of $100 million in additional revenue. These changes will help drive jobs and economic growth in our state.