An Act To Increase the Opportunities for Taste-testing Events for On-premises Liquor Licensees
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1042
Committee Amendment CA_A_S225 (Senate)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to S.P. 359, L.D. 1042, Bill, "An Act To 
Increase the Opportunities for Taste-testing Events for On-premises Liquor Licensees" 
Amend the bill in section 1 in subsection 8 by striking out all of paragraph I (page 1, 
line 30 in L.D.) and inserting the following: 
'I. The retail licensee may conduct no more than one taste-testing event per month.' 
Amend the bill in section I in subsection 8 by striking out all of paragraphs L, M, N 
and 0 (page 1, lines 35 to 37 and page 2, lines 1 to 18 in L.D.) and inserting the 
following: 
'L. Liquor served at a taste-testing event may be provided by the retail licensee 
purchasing the liquor from a wholesale licensee or agency liquor store. A record of a 
transaction under this paragraph must be maintained and made available to the 
bureau. 
M. 
The retail licensee shall establish a designated area in which to conduct a 
taste-testing event in accordance with this section and shall make reasonable attempts 
to ensure that tastings are confined to the designated area. 
N. 
The retail licensee, with prior approval from the bureau, may conduct an 
invitation-only taste-testing event at the licensed premises in place of or to coincide 
with a taste-testing event that is open to the public. 
O. After a taste-testing eVr:!nt is concluded, the retail licensee may return any unused 
portion of liquor used to conduct the taste-testing event to the licensee's existing 
stock.' 
Amend the bill in section 1 in subsection 8 by inserting at the end a new blocked 
paragraph to read: 
'The bureau may adopt rules to implement this subsection. Rules adopted pursuant to this 
subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.' 
Amend the bill by inserting after section I the following: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,k, to S.p. 359, L.D. 1042 
'Sec. 2. Report. By February 15, 2015, the division within the Department of 
Public Safety responsible for administering the laws relating to liquor licensing and 
enforcement shall submit a report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature 
having jurisdiction over alcoholic beverage matters regarding the administration of 
taste-testing events conducted in accordance with the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 28-A, 
section 1051, subsection 8. 
The report must include information pertaining to the 
enforcement of the laws governing taste-testing events and any administrative or 
enforcement concerns reported to or encountered by the division. The committee is 
authorized to report out a bill after consideration of the report and any recommendations 
made by the division.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment is the majority report of the Joint Standing Committee on Veterans 
and Legal Affairs. This amendment reduces the number of taste-testing events that may 
occur at an establishment licensed for on-premises consumption of alcoholic beverages 
from 3 per month to one per month. The amendment requires that liquor provided for 
taste-testing events be provided by the licensee and not a manufacturer or wholesaler. 
The amendment specifies that taste-testing events are to be in a designated area of the 
establishment and that liquor remaining after the event may be returned to the licensee's 
stock. Finally, the amendment authorizes the division within the Department of Public 
Safety responsible for liquor licensing and enforcement to adopt rules and requires the 
division to submit a report regarding the conduct of taste-testing events at on-premises 
establishments. 
i' lSCAL ~OTE REQUIRED 
(See. il.tt~c~~!!)_ 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 06/04113 Pfac 
LD 1042 
LR 1718(02) 
An Act To Increase the Opportunities for Taste-testing Events for On-premises Liquor Licensees 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "A"#-U 5 '\ 
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs 
"--J 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor east increase - General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Additional costs to the Department of Public Safety associated with rulemaking and submitting the required report can 
be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR17l8(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1