New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is behind a push to allow the sale of alcoholic beverages at all movie theaters in the state.
The Democratic governor says selling alcohol in theaters will boost tourism, support the movie industry and help theaters keep and pay employees. The move comes as the Motion Picture Association of America reports that ticket sales have fallen flat.
Dr. Jeffrey Reynolds, of the nonprofit Family and Children's Association, works with kids struggling with addiction. He says he's worried that under the new law, alcohol will end up in the hands of teenagers.
"If young people are engaged in drinking, ultimately...they wind up landing in our clinic," Reynolds says.
If the bill passes, alcohol sales would be allowed to movie goers of legal drinking age with tickets to films rated PG-13, R and NC-17.
This is not the first attempt by state lawmakers to allow the sale of alcohol in movie theaters. The Senate has passed a bill before, but it never made it into the state budget.