An Act To Create an Ownership Interest in Agency Liquor Store Licenses

Sec. 1. 28-A MRSA §453-B,  as repealed and replaced by PL 2001, c. 358, Pt. V, §2, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:

§ 453-B.  License fees

The initial license fee for an agency liquor store and the fee for a transferee of a license for an agency liquor store under section 457 is $2,000. The renewal fee for an annual license is $300.

Sec. 2. 28-A MRSA §457,  as amended by PL 1997, c. 373, §49, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:

§ 457.  Transfer of agency liquor store license

Upon application of a licensee under this chapter, an agency liquor store license must be transferred to a new owner upon the sale of the licensed establishment and payment of the transfer fee required in section 453-B if the new owner is eligible under section 601 and the physical premises of the establishment remain unchanged.

Sec. 3. Rules. No later than March 1, 2008, the Department of Public Safety shall adopt routine technical rules pursuant to Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A to carry out the purposes of the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 28-A, section 457.

summary

This bill allows the transfer of an agency liquor store license if the new owner meets the eligibility qualifications for agency liquor store owners. The bill also sets the license fee for the new owner at $2,000.