Restaurants in Statesboro are now able to sell alcohol starting at 11 a.m. on Sundays after the city council approved of a new alcohol ordinance, SB 17.

Nicknamed the “Brunch Bill,” the ordinance allows restaurants to serve alcohol almost an hour and a half earlier on Sundays.

The vote was made in early November, with the bill becoming active almost immediately.

“We made it effective upon the mayor’s signature,” City Attorney Cain Smith said.

The Brunch Bill was passed in March 2018 and signed in May by Gov. Nathan Deal.

Each city or county in Georgia had to have their own votes to decide whether they wanted to take the bill into effect in their area, according to the Georgia Restaurant Association.

“I think we’re seeing more of a shift [in revenue] whereas we did have more between 12:30 and 1, now we’re seeing a bit more come in at 11 now that the Brunch Bill has passed,” Sugar Magnolia Bakery & Cafe owner Caroline Joyner said.

Some restaurants in the past have been hesitant about opening their doors on Sundays, or have opened later at a time in which alcohol was allowed to be served.

“We were testing the waters for opening Sundays, but no one was coming in,” Deanna Moreno, house manager at Chazito’s Latin Cuisine said. “I don’t know if it was because they didn’t know about us or because of the bar situation because we weren’t serving alcohol at all.”

The Brunch Bill does not affect the hours in which stores can sell alcohol on Sundays.

Anthony Belinfante, The George-Anne News Reporter, ganewsed@georgiasouthern.edu