WALTHAM, Mass. ?" The Restaurant Rejuvenation Act, signed into law at the beginning of July, eases restrictions on serving alcohol on Sunday mornings, the Daily News Tribune reports. The law now allows restaurants to sell liquor at 10 a.m. on Sundays, two hours earlier than the previous noon regulation.

Many restaurants had shorter hours on Sundays because of the restriction, but some indicated a change in operating hours will be coming. "The new law will increase employment, income taxes, sales taxes and meals taxes, without costing the government a single dollar," said Dave Andelman, CEO of Phantom Gourmet, which reviews restaurants.

"It will help the restaurant industry, which employs roughly 10 percent of the work force, fight the recession. We expect this to generate tens of millions of dollars per year for the state," said Andelman. He was one of the forces behind the Restaurant Rejuvenation Act, which hopes to revitalize brunch in the state.

"It??s a great thing," said Bill Honeycutt, co-founder of the Waltham Restaurant Association and owner of John Brewer??s Tavern. He is considering reviving his brunch menu now that Bloody Marys and other alcoholic beverages can accompany the dishes. This act "will help a small business rather than hinder it," said Honeycutt.

Under the new law, municipalities can vote to keep alcohol hours restricted on Sundays, but 10 a.m. is the new default time if no other restrictions are present. Andelman is urging more towns to implement the law immediately to help offset the higher meals tax many cities have added because of the recession.