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An Act Relating to the Liquor Laws Governing Off-premises Catering at Planned Public Events or Gatherings
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  28-A MRSA §1052, sub-§7  is enacted to read:
 
7.  Taste testing at public events.     A licensee authorized to sell alcoholic beverages at a planned public event or gathering sponsored by a charitable, nonprofit organization or civic group as provided by subsection 3, paragraph A may also offer malt liquor and wine samples for the purpose of taste testing. For an event or gathering that includes taste testing, tickets may be sold in advance or at the door at the time of the event or gathering. Volunteers for the charitable, nonprofit organization or civic group may pour samples for taste testing. The following conditions apply to taste testing conducted at an event or gathering licensed in accordance with this section:
 
A.  A licensee may not serve more than 12 4-ounce samples or any number of samples that total more than 48 ounces to any one person in a day;
 
B.  Each person attending the event or gathering must be given a card, tickets or some other mechanism to record the number of samples consumed;
 
C.  A person may not be charged a fee for samples beyond the fee for admission to the event or gathering;
 
D.  Minors are prohibited from attending the event or gathering unless accompanied by a parent or guardian; and
 
E.  A person who has reached the sample limit or is visibly intoxicated may not be served.
 
SUMMARY
This bill permits a licensee holding an off-premises catering license to conduct taste testing of beer and wine at a public event or gathering sponsored by a charitable, nonprofit organization or civic group. Volunteers for the sponsoring organization are permitted to pour samples for taste testing and event tickets are permitted to be sold in advance and at the door.