$28.6B for Restaurants, Liquor License Extensions, National Public Affairs Conference
Monday, March 8, 2021
The Illinois Restaurant Association continues to engage with local, state, and federal officials to help employers and employees address concerns about COVID-19. Please see the below resources and information for your business - updated as of 5:10 p.m. on Monday, March 8. *** Senate Passes $28.6B for Restaurant Relief in American Rescue Plan, House Vote Expected This Week This weekend, the Senate passed the American Rescue Plan, which includes $28.6B for dedicated restaurant relief to help save countless small businesses and jobs. The rescue plan will now be sent to the House of Representatives, which is expected to pass it as soon as tomorrow, and then the package will go to President Biden, who will sign it into law. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the IRA, our state restaurant association partners, and National Restaurant Association have fiercely advocated for this critical financial support for the restaurant and hospitality community. We thank Senators Durbin and Duckworth, Illinois' Congressional delegation, and all our supporters and partners that have been engaged in our campaign to get us to this point. This is an incredibly important milestone to get grants to restaurants, bars, caterers, and other hospitality businesses to help them pay rent, payroll, vendor expenses and more. Click here to read more from the Washington Post. We will share additional details about the $28.6B Restaurant Revitalization Fund this week. Below are high-level components of the relief fund: Eligible Expenses – Payroll and benefits, mortgage, rent, utilities, maintenance, supplies including protective equipment and cleaning materials, food, operational expenses, covered supplier costs as defined by the SBA under the PPP program, sick leave, and any other expenses deemed essential by the Administrator.
Covered Period – Grants can be spent on eligible expenses from February 15, 2020 through December 31, 2021, and the Administrator may extend the period through two years from enactment if conditions warrant.
ILCC Extends State Liquor Licenses to June 30, 2021 Due to the hardships on liquor license holders as a result of the recent COVID-19 mitigation actions, the Illinois Liquor Control Commission (ILCC) has extended the renewal dates of state liquor licenses, and is deferring the collection of license renewal fees in the following manner: All licenses with a renewal date of March 31, 2020 or after are automatically extended to June 30, 2021 (This action supersedes the Commission’s prior license extension action through March 31, 2021). No late fees will be charged until after July 1, 2021. License renewal fees are due at time of renewal. This extension does not change the fee for renewal nor prorate any fees paid for renewal of a license, nor change the future renewal date of a license. License fees are not refundable
The IRA thanks the ILCC for working with the hospitality industry to extend terms for liquor licenses and provide limited financial relief to operators. Click here to read the notice. Click here to review current liquor regulations from the ILCC. Register Now - 2021 National Restaurant Association Public Affairs Conference 
Join the IRA and National Restaurant Association at the 2021 Virtual Public Affairs Conference Wednesday, April 20. You’ll hear from political analysts, industry leaders, and lawmakers on key issues impacting the restaurant industry. If you’ve never attended the conference in the past, this year’s virtual setting is a great way to get involved for the first time. For more details, watch the video above and visit the conference website. Contact Matt Quinn with any questions related to the conference. Chicago Ballparks to Welcome the Return of Fans of Up to 20% Capacity on Opening Day Earlier today, Mayor Lightfoot announced plans to reopen Guaranteed Rate Field and Wrigley Field to fans beginning on each team’s respective Opening Day in April as part of the City’s “Open Chicago” efforts. Under limited capacity and guidelines in compliance with the City’s recovery plan, fans can expect to watch their favorite teams from the stands this season. Mayor Lightfoot, in partnership with the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Major League Baseball (MLB) Association, evaluated capacity and restrictions to ensure fans will have a safe and fun experience when they return to the ballparks this season. Click here to read the full announcement. This Thursday - Managing Taxes, Finances, and Cash Flow Webinar 
As spring and tax season approach, learn ideas to better manage your finances from accounting and legal experts. Join the IRA and panelists from Plante Moran and Taft Law Thursday, March 11 at 10:00 a.m. for a webinar providing expert ideas and guidance for your taxes and finances, as well as info on the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) and more. Este seminario web se transmitirá en inglés y español. This webinar is being provided in partnership with Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and the Cook County Community Recovery Initiative. Click here to register. Friday Morning - Hospitality Forum with Local, State, Federal Leaders Join the IRA on Friday, March 12 at 10:00 a.m. for a panel discussion moderated by Rep. Lamont Robinson, featuring Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-2), Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs, and DCEO Director Sylvia Garcia. The event will focus on various assistance programs available to restaurants, bars, hotels, and retailers from local, state, and federal governments. Email RepRobinsonRSVP@gmail.com to register.
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