Compliance teams from the Minnesota Departments of Public Safety (DPS), Health (MDH), Labor and Industry (DLI) and Agriculture (MDA) have been visiting bars and restaurants in several communities over the past two weekends to ensure that they are following safety protocols. The Minnesota Statute 340A, 412, Subdivision 14 governs the items that can be sold in an exclusive liquor store. The Minnesota Legislature examines the permitted items and changes to them. Recently, there have been hundreds of cases of COVID-19 linked to bars among young people in the Twin Cities and Mankato areas.
Authorities have reported that most bars and restaurants are working to comply with COVID-19 executive orders and the required guidelines designed to reduce the spread of the disease and keep Minnesotans safe. More than 40 establishments have contacted the state for guidance on health and safety following the announcement of increased compliance initiatives. Other states are also seeing major outbreaks linked to grids and are rethinking efforts to reopen their economies. MDH has received more than 800 complaints about violations of executive orders in restaurants and bars regulated by MDH and has referred more than 400 complaints to delegated agencies since July 13. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) plan to carry out additional checks to comply with COVID-19 safety measures in bars and restaurants in the coming weeks.
While some neighboring states impose more restrictions on bars and restaurants, including closures or bans on indoor seating, Minnesota officials, instead, have opted for a more focused approach to compliance. The Minnesota hotel industry has urged for this approach, noting that more restrictions would affect all bars and restaurants, whether or not they were complying with safety and health precautions. The letter warns that bars and restaurants that do not comply with the regulations could face fines, the loss of the license to sell alcoholic beverages or an order to close the establishment. State health and safety officials are stepping up their efforts to ensure that all bars and restaurants are safe for customers and employees.
Minnesota bar, restaurant and brewery associations are urging members and the public to follow safety guidelines in light of the COVID-19 pandemic as the 4th of July weekend approaches. When bars and restaurants are found to be not complying with regulations, state officials strive to educate them, enforce them, and if necessary, elevate them to the adoption of coercive measures. When asked about the results of the state raid and concerns that bars and restaurants are not following safety guidelines, Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Commissioner Jan Malcolm said that her department is closely monitoring groups. The commissioner also said that MDH is talking with other states in the country to assess the impact that bar and restaurant policies have had on cases of COVID-19. An outbreak in a bar can cause a community outbreak by spreading it from customers to their families, co-workers, and other members of the community.
