The Connecticut State Senate voted to extend COVID-19-era rules allowing outdoor dining for another year.
The State Senate passed the bill unanimously after the House approved it with an overwhelming majority. The bill would allow restaurants to offer outdoor dining through April 2023.
Governor Ned Lamont is expected to approve the extension.
“It is one of the industries that has probably been hit the hardest, not only in Connecticut but across the country. So this is not only a Connecticut issue, but it is a national issue of significant impact,” said state Sen. Steve Cassano, a Democrat from Manchester.
The bill overrides local restrictions on outdoor dining. Opponents argued it would open the door to the override of other restrictive local zoning, including controversial suburban housing density rules.
