Cuomo Signs Executive Order Extending Hours for Restaurants, Bars, and Gyms

By: Joe Kuhn

Slowly but surely life in New York is starting to resemble what it once was. On Monday, after announcing a continued decline in both hospitalization and infection rates, Governor Cuomo relaxed some restrictions put in place to combat the spread of Covid-19. The governor has signed  Executive Order 202.94, extending closing times for bars, restaurants, gyms and fitness centers, casinos, billiards halls, and other State Liquor Authority-licensed establishments, from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. statewide beginning today.

“Hospitalizations and the positivity rate continue to decline, and with the holiday surge now in our rear-view mirror, we must keep taking steps to further re-open the economy safely and responsibly,” said Cuomo. “Accordingly, I have already signed an Executive Order to move the closing times for restaurants and bars to 11 p.m. statewide, and now we will do the same for gyms and fitness centers, casinos, billiards halls and any other location with an SLA license. As we move forward, we will continue to follow the science and data and take these kinds of steps to help us finally return to normal.” 

The governor announced his attention to relax restrictions last Friday before formally giving the order earlier this morning.