An Act to Allow Certain Liquor Sellers to Conduct Off-premises Taste-testing Events and Retail Sales
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 1132
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: LANDRY, COLLINGS, HEPLER, DAUGHTRY
Amends: 28-A MRSA §460, 28-A MRSA §1205, 28-A MRSA §1207

Legislative Document
No. 1132
H.P. 718
House of Representatives, March 13, 2023
An Act to Allow Certain Liquor Sellers to Conduct Off-premises 
Taste-testing Events and Retail Sales
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative LANDRY of Farmington.
Cosponsored by Representative COLLINGS of Portland and
Representative: HEPLER of Woolwich, Senator: DAUGHTRY of Cumberland.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  28-A MRSA §460, sub-§2-A, ¶E is enacted to read:
E.  For an off-premises taste-testing event under subsection 2-B, the request must 
include the location of the taste-testing event.
Sec. 2.  28-A MRSA §460, sub-§2-B is enacted to read:
2-B.  Off-premises taste-testing events.  An agency liquor store may conduct one 
taste-testing event per month under this section at a location other than the licensed 
premises that are not premises licensed under this Title and that otherwise meet the 
requirements of this section.  Along with the requirements of subsection 2, paragraph N, 
spirits served under this subsection must be served by a person who has successfully 
completed an alcohol server course approved by the bureau. Retail sales for off-premises 
consumption for an event under this subsection are allowed. The off-premises location 
under this subsection must be approved by the bureau.
Sec. 3.  28-A MRSA §1205, sub-§2-A, ¶E is enacted to read:
E.  For an off-premises taste-testing event under subsection 2-B, the request must 
include the location of the taste-testing event.
Sec. 4.  28-A MRSA §1205, sub-§2-B is enacted to read:
2-B.  Off-premises taste-testing events.  An off-premises retail licensee may conduct 
one taste-testing event per month under this section at a location other than the licensed 
premises that are not premises licensed under this Title and that otherwise meet the 
requirements of this section.  Along with the requirements of subsection 2, paragraph N, 
wine served under this subsection must be served by a person who has successfully 
completed an alcohol server course approved by the bureau. Retail sales for off-premises 
consumption for an event under this subsection are allowed. The off-premises location 
under this subsection must be approved by the bureau.
Sec. 5.  28-A MRSA §1207, sub-§2-A, ¶E is enacted to read:
E.  For an off-premises taste-testing event under subsection 2-B, the request must 
include the location of the taste-testing event.
Sec. 6.  28-A MRSA §1207, sub-§2-B is enacted to read:
2-B.  Off-premises taste-testing events.  An off-premises retail licensee may conduct 
one taste-testing event per month under this section at a location other than the licensed 
premises that are not premises licensed under this Title and that otherwise meet the 
requirements of this section.  Along with the requirements of subsection 2, paragraph N, 
malt liquor served under this subsection must be served by a person who has successfully 
completed an alcohol server course approved by the bureau. Retail sales for off-premises 
consumption for an event under this subsection are allowed. The off-premises location 
under this subsection must be approved by the bureau.
SUMMARY
This bill allows one spirits, wine and malt liquor taste-testing event per month to be 
held off the premises of an agency liquor store or an off-premises retail licensee if the server 
has successfully completed an approved alcohol server course. This bill also allows sales 
for off-premises consumption from off-premises taste-testing events at approved locations.