Connecticut Senate approves 13-month extension of restaurant outdoor dining measure

The Connecticut Senate unanimously approved a bill that extends the rights of restaurants to offer outdoor dining by 13 months.

The bill, House Bill 5271, passed the House last week in a 121-21 vote. It expands on an executive order authorized by Gov. Ned Lamont during the Covid-19 pandemic that was scheduled to expire on March 31. The governor has stated he will sign the bill into law.

Scott Dolch, president of the Connecticut Restaurant Association, welcomed the Senate”™s vote as “a timely and much-needed measure that will help Connecticut”™s restaurant industry as it continues to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.”