The New York State Liquor Authority has approved the expansion of liquor store hours in Albany County.
New rules allow liquor stores to operate from 8 AM to Midnight on weekdays and 10 AM to 10 PM on Sundays, year-round.
Alexandra Becker, with the law firm Whiteman Osterman & Hanna LLP, is an alcoholic beverage licensing and compliance expert. She says the new law recognizes a changing world.
"Everyone's working different, you know, shifts different hours. And so there may be a lot of people who are not able to do their shopping, you know, in sort of the traditional business hours. And you know, allowing these stores to stay open to serve these customers, I think, is beneficial both to the businesses and to the consumers.”
Becker says the new regulations align with policies allowing 24-hour beer sales in grocery and convenience stores.