Scott Ellis, executive director of the Michigan Licensed Beverage Association, supports the bill. Currently, indoor dining, including bars has a 10 p.m. curfew due to state COVID-19 restrictions. AdRelated: Michigan restaurants can officially reopen indoor dining today with curfew, other COVID safety restrictions“Once that is lifted it gives the local establishments, restaurants, bars, the ability to make up some lost time,” the Commerce Township Republican said. People work nights, people work weekends, different shifts.”Scott Ellis, executive director of the Michigan Licensed Beverage Association, supports the bill. “I think it may help a few bars or restaurants, maybe the casinos and that kind of thing, but overwhelming, there’s more harm than good.”

Michigan’s current order prohibiting indoor dining service expires this week, but the Michigan Licensed Beverage Association said it has been told the prohibition will be extended to Feb. 1. “We are absolutely upset, but at the same time, let’s hold hard to this Feb. 1 deadline and let’s do it right,” said MLBA President Scott Ellis. Gretchen Whitmer’s Office confirms the Feb. 1 restart date. Details of what dine-in service will look like are not clear yet but there will be caps on density and social distancing will be required. 8 takeaways from Whitmer’s COVID briefing: In-person learning, vaccine distribution, restaurantsWhitmer held her second COVID-19 briefing of the week Friday (Jan. 8) to discuss the future of in-person learning, vaccine distribution and how current trends affect the possibility of reopening restaurants in the state.

File-This Oct. 16, 2020, file photo shows Michigan Gov. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)LANSING, Mich. – Restaurants and bars in Michigan could possibly reopen by Feb. 1, according to the Michigan Licensed Beverage Association. On Tuesday, the group released a statement noting that Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer would make an important announcement during a Wednesday press conference about restaurants and bars. Related: 8 takeaways from Whitmer’s COVID briefing: In-person learning, vaccine distribution, restaurants

The state already lets bars and restaurants sell unopened beer and wine to go. Whitmer also signed a bill allowing bars and restaurants to sell to-go cocktails in an effort to help those businesses. Upticks in COVID-19 cases have been seen in other bars in Michigan and other states such as Florida and Texas. Michigan's new cocktails-to-go law allows bars and restaurants to provide takeout and delivery of cocktails. Restaurants and bars in the state closed dine-in services shortly before St. Patricks Day at Whitmers order and started reopening in northern Michigan on May 22.