An Act To Create a New Liquor License, Provide Funding for Prevention of Underage Drinking and Provide Municipal Control over the Agency Liquor Store Application Process
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 1300
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: CRAVEN, BICKFORD, JACKSON, PATRICK, SNOWE-MELLO, BEAULIEU, LAJOIE
Amends: 28-A MRSA §453, 28-A MRSA §1010-A, 28-A MRSA §1013

Legislative Document 
No. 1300 
S.P. 403 
In Senate, March 24, 2011 
An Act To Create a New Liquor License, Provide Funding for 
Prevention of Underage Drinking and Provide Municipal Control 
over the Agency Liquor Store Application Process 
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed. 
JOSEPH G. CARLETON, JR. 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator CRAVEN of Androscoggin. 
Cosponsored by Representative BICKFORD of Auburn and 
Senators: JACKSON of Aroostook, PATRICK of Oxford, SNOWE-MELLO of Androscoggin, 
Representatives: BEAULIEU of Auburn, LAJOIE of Lewiston. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  28-A MRSA §453, sub-§1, ¶E is enacted to read: 
E.  The addition of the proposed agency liquor store will not exceed the number of 
agency liquor stores authorized by a municipality in accordance with subsection 2-A. 
Sec. 2.  28-A MRSA §453, sub-§2-A, as amended by PL 2009, c. 213, Pt. JJJJ, 
§1, is repealed and the following enacted in its place: 
2-A.  Limitation on number of agency liquor stores.  Beginning October 1, 2011 a 
municipality by affirmative vote of its governing body or through referendum may 
establish a limit on the number of agency liquor stores to be licensed in that municipality. 
Nothing in this subsection may be construed to reduce the number of agency stores the 
bureau may license in a municipality as of October 1, 2011. 
Sec. 3.  28-A MRSA §1010-A is enacted to read: 
§1010-A.  Class VIII licenses 
1.  Types of liquor that may be sold.  A Class VIII licensee may sell malt liquor, 
wine and spirits to be consumed off the premises where sold. 
2.  Fees.  The fees for a Class VIII  license are as follows:  
A.  Full-time, one year, after payment of the initial agency liquor store license fee 
under section 453-B, $900; and 
B.  A Class VIII license is not subject to the renewal fee under section 453-B. 
3.  Eligible premises.  The following premises are eligible to obtain a Class VIII 
license: 
A.  Agency liquor store licensees with a qualifying stock of groceries, compatible 
merchandise or a combination of both. 
Sec. 4.  28-A MRSA §1013 is enacted to read: 
§1013.  Underage drinking prevention 
Beginning January 1, 2012, the bureau shall pay 10% of the license fees collected 
under section 1010-A to the Treasurer of State to be credited to the Department of Health 
and Human Services, Office of Substance Abuse for the purpose of prevention of 
consumption of liquor by minors. 
SUMMARY 
Current law limits the number of agency liquor stores that sell spirits based on the 
population of a municipality.  This bill removes those limits.  The bill provides that 
beginning January 1, 2012 a municipality may establish a limit for agency liquor stores 
through action of the governing body or a popular referendum.  The bill also provides for 
a combined license for agency liquor stores that also sell beer and wine.  Under current 
law an agency liquor store must obtain separate licenses to sell beer and wine.  Finally, 
this bill dedicates 10% of that combined license fee to the Department of Health and 
Human Services, Office of Substance Abuse for underage drinking prevention.