Support Legislation for the Bar, Nightclub, & Entertainment Venue Industry
- Target:
- New Mexico Legislators and Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham
- Region:
- United States of America
- Website:
- www.facebook.com
New Mexico went into lockdown on March 15, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic that was raging worldwide. At the time it was thought that lockdowns would be short-term in nature until the virus could be crushed. At almost the one year mark since the first public health order was put in place, our industry and large chunks of the economy in our state remain closed with no end in sight.
The bar, nightclub, and entertainment venue industry has been shut down since March 15, 2020. Our employees, friends, family, and neighbors are largely out of work. Under the latest public health order, our businesses still have no ability to open when a county achieves green status. Substance abuse, depression, suicide, and other behavioral health issues are now at an all-time high, along with domestic violence, and can be attributed to the long-term effects of lockdowns, quarantine, and the lack of available, meaningful work.
While understanding and recognizing the importance of protecting the health of those in our society who are most vulnerable to COVID-19, our livelihoods have been destroyed. A safe and equitable reopening of our businesses and employers needs to occur. If not, then state assistance must be granted to our businesses and employers for the duration of the continued lockdowns.
We, the undersigned, call on lawmakers and Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham to support measures this legislative session that will help the bar, nightclub, and entertainment venue industry stay afloat during the enforcement of mandatory public health orders.
These measures include, but are not limited to:
• Open-ended grants (not loans) that can be used to pay for business expenses of businesses that have been shut down since the public health orders took effect
• The option to use LEDA funding to help pay rent and real estate expenses for businesses that have been shut down since the public health orders took effect
• The ability for liquor license holders to make income from their licenses through alcohol delivery services - this should include the option for package liquor or by-the-drink
• Provisions that suspend the requirement for owners to pay for costly licenses and other fees while the public health order remains in effect, including refunding of fees that have already been paid
Supporting these measures, and others will help our businesses and the businesses of our employers stay afloat while the mandatory public health order shutdowns remain in effect. Our businesses were healthy, vibrant, and viable prior to the shutdowns and have been impacted through no fault of the owners, employees, or patrons of the businesses.
Your support is very much needed in this pivotal time for our industry.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Support Legislation for the Bar, Nightclub, & Entertainment Venue Industry petition to New Mexico Legislators and Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham was written by Matt Kennicott and is in the category Politics at GoPetition.