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I like the new Michigan law that allows a diner to take home an unfinished bottle of wine purchased at a restaurant. I hope it's in place elsewhere.


Connecticut has this law, which makes sense. An interesting twist, however, as that it is quoted by politicans as being one of the primary reasons Connecticut doesn't have an open-container law for vehicle passengers. In CT it is perfectly legal for me to sit in the passenger seat of my car and drink a beer if my wife is driving.

This is at odds with Federal mandates and the state loses highway funds for this, in addition to incurring the wrath of organizations like MADD.

The 1998 Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), which provides over $200 billion in federal highway funding to states, requires states to prohibit both the possession of any open alcoholic beverage and the consumption of alcohol in the passenger area of any motor vehicle operating on public roads.

That applies to any alcoholic beverage container that has been opened: A re-corked bottle of wine or flask of liquor would violate the federal open container ban.