An Act Regarding Agency Liquor Stores
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0682
Committee: Legal and Veterans Affairs
Sponsors: SULLIV AN, CONNOR, LEGG, VALENTINO
Amends: 28-A MRSA §453, 28-A MRSA §453-A

MAINE STATE LEGISLATURE 
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STATE LAW LIBRARY 
AUGUSTA, 'b1AINE 
124th MAl E LEGISLATURE 
FIRST REGULAR SESSIOr~-2009 
Legislative Document 
No. 682 
S.P.257 
In Senate, February 24, 2009 
An Act Regarding Agency Liquor Stores 
(EMERGENCy) 
Reference to the Committee on Legal and Veterans Affairs suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Senator SULLIV AN of York. 
9t8(J~ 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Cosponsored by Representatives: CONNOR of Kennebunk, LEGG of Kennebunk, 
VALENTINO of Saco. 
Printed on recycled paper 
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.Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
:i'I::t,,,!,'Y'!:J \'bbGome effective until 90 days after, adjOlir11ment unless emictedas emergencies; and 
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. ;;\ ; :"}Whireas, in times of economic hardship the Legislature should create opportunities 
for business that will result in the potential for'employment and employer-provided health 
insurance for citizens of this State; and 
Whereas, current law places limits on business opportunities for retailers who wish 
to obtain an agency liquor store license; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore, 
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 28-A MRS A §453, sub-§2-A, as repealed and replaced by PL 2003, c. 20, 
Pt. SS, §1 and affected by §8, is repealed. 
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Sec. 2. 28-A MRSA §453, sulb-§2-B; as enacted by PL 2003, c. 20, Pt. SS, §2 
and affected by §8, is repealed. 
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Sec. 3. 28-A MRSA §453-A, sulb-§9 is enacted to read: 
9. 
Licenses issued after July 1, 2009. Beginning July I, 2009, the bureau may 
issue an unlimited number of agency liquor store licenses "in a municipality in accordance 
with this section. In addition to the provisions of this section, the bureau shall consider 
when issuing an agency liquor store license under this subsection whether the applicant 
can satisfy: 
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A. Except as provided in subsection 10, that the applicant has held a license to sell 
malt liquor and wine for off-premises consumption for more than one year without a 
violation of any provision of this Title; 
B. That the applicant will be able to stock at least $10,000 worth of spirits purchased 
from the State or the State's wholesale distributor upon issuance of an agency liquor 
store license; and 
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C. That the applicant can purchase the initial stock of spirits using certified funds .. 
The bureau may also consider the economic benefit of an agency liquor store on the 
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municipality and the potential for increased revenue to the State from the sale of spirits. 
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Sec. 4. 28-A MRS A §453-A, sub-§10 is enacted to read: 
10. Exception.· The bureau rriay issue an agency liquor store license to all applicant 
who has not held a license to sell malt liquor and wine for off-premises consumption for 
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one year if the applicant is a branch of a chain retailer of which one or more locations has 
held a license to sell spirits without violating the provisions of this Title and the applicant, 
if licensed, will enhance the revenue to the State from the sale of spirits. 
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Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
This bill removes the provision in current law that limits the number of agency liquor 
stores that may be licensed in a municipality. It also provides for. additional criteria that 
an applicant must meet in order to receive an agency liquor store license after July I, 
200). 
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