TABC to Continue Checking for Covid-19 Safety Violations at Bars, Restaurants This Weekend
June 25, 2020 - Statewide
To your health. “Our goal throughout Operation Safe Open is to encourage Texas businesses to operate safely,” said Bentley Nettles, executive director of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. “Only those businesses which put their customers’ lives in danger will face penalties.” Photo: Jade Esteban Estrada.
By Jade Esteban Estrada - Staff Writer, San Antonio Sentinel
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission will continue its statewide effort to ensure that bars and restaurants are complying with requirements to reduce the spread of Covid-19
- TABC reported 17 permit suspensions after inspecting nearly 600 bars and restaurants last weekend
- Businesses found in violation of safety requirements will face a 30-day suspension of their license to sell alcohol for the first offense
- On Thursday, Metro Health reported 8,452 cases of Covid-19 in San Antonio, a 638-case jump from Wednesday
Following last weekend’s initial round of nearly 600 inspections that resulted in permit suspensions for 17 alcohol retailers, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission will continue Operation Safe Open, a statewide effort to ensure that bars and restaurants are complying with the requirements to reduce the spread of Covid-19. The enforcement effort, which continues this weekend, comes after a nearly six-week-long outreach effort by TABC to educate business owners about the state’s health and safety requirements, which were enacted by Texas Governor Greg Abbott in early May. These requirements include indoor maximum capacity limits of 75% for restaurants and 50% for bars, as well as six-foot social distancing requirements between groups both indoors and outdoors. Businesses found in violation of these requirements face a 30-day suspension of their license to sell alcohol for the first offense.
“The fact that there were fewer than 20 violations found among 600 businesses inspected shows that bar and restaurant owners are taking their responsibilities seriously,” said Bentley Nettles, executive director of TABC. “Our goal throughout Operation Safe Open is to encourage Texas businesses to operate safely. Only those businesses which put their customers’ lives in danger will face penalties.”
As part of this weekend’s operation, TABC will work with local law enforcement and code enforcement officials to identify locations where violations may be taking place. The agency is also asking concerned citizens to report possible violations by emailing complaints@tabc.texas.gov, calling 1-888-THE-TABC, or by using the free TABC mobile application that is available on both Apple and Android devices.
“It will take all of us working together to reduce the spread of Covid-19,” Nettles said. “Texas’ bars and restaurants will play a critical role in growing our state’s economy, and following the state’s guidelines will allow them to fulfill this role while keeping their customers and employees safe.”
On Thursday evening, the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District reported 8,452 confirmed coronavirus cases, which is an increase of 638 cases from Wednesday. The death toll remains at 104.
For more information about requirements for bars and restaurants to reduce the spread of COVID-19, visit the governor’s Open Texas Strike Force website. Further information about TABC’s efforts to assist businesses during the pandemic can found here.
Jade Esteban Estrada is a staff writer at the San Antonio Sentinel, where he covers public health and other citywide issues. He can be reached at jade@sasentinel.com.