Happy hour could soon return to Illinois.
A law that will allow bars in Illinois to offer happy hour drink specials was passed by both houses Sunday and will take effect this summer, pending Gov. Bruce Rauner’s signature.
The Culinary and Hospitality Modernization Act reverses legislation that banned bars in the state from offering hours-long drink specials, now saying that bars can post specials for a maximum of four hours a day or 15 hours a week.
The specials must be created on a schedule posted seven days in advance and can’t be offered after 10 p.m.
The bill maintains a provision that bans two-for-one drink sales and adds a requirement of mandatory training for all state alcohol servers. The program, called Beverage Alcohol Sellers and Servers Education and Training, requires all alcohol servers to complete “training in basic responsible alcohol service.”
Cook County servers would need to complete the training by July 1 or 120 days after they begin employment.
The bill also allows for bars to add “infusions” to spirits and to pair alcoholic beverages with meals.
