MaineMaine law limits when officials can revoke certain older liquor licenses
Maine law bars the bureau from taking certain actions against older liquor licenses solely over a later finding about their majority owners’ retail licenses.
What it does
The bureau cannot suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew certain older liquor licenses solely because it later finds that a manufacturing facility’s majority owners held too many related retail licenses. Those licenses cannot be transferred.
Argument forSome license holders could keep a license when officials later find their majority owners held too many related retail licenses.
Argument againstOwners may have fewer options to sell or reorganize a covered license because the law bars its sale or transfer.
More detail
The bureau may not suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew a covered license for the specified ownership reason. The rule covers a license issued under the cited liquor licensing law or chapter 43 before December 21, 2025, when the bureau later makes the specified finding about majority owners of a licensed manufacturing facility. The bureau may not act solely because it later determines that majority owners of a licensed manufacturing facility held more than the allowed number of on-premises retail licenses. The related retail licenses must also have been first issued before December 21, 2025. A license covered by this rule may not be sold, transferred, or otherwise conveyed. Both the covered license and the related on-premises retail licenses must have been first issued before December 21, 2025.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 25Became Law without Governor's SignatureLatest
- Apr 13Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 946 Yeas 20 - Nays 14 - Excused 1 - Absent 0
- Vote recorded ENACTMENT. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 13Subsequently, PASSED TO BE ENACTED in concurrence.Passed 2nd Chamber
- Apr 13Taken from the table by the President
- Apr 13On motion by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock Tabled until Later in Today's Session, pending PASSAGE TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence.
- Apr 9Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Apr 9PASSED TO BE ENACTED.Became Law
- Apr 9ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Apr 9The House RECEDED and CONCURRED to PASSAGE TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-553) as Amended by Senate Amendment "A" (S-633) thereto.Minor
- Apr 8Sent down for concurrence
- Vote recorded ADOPT SENATE AMENDMENT (S-633) to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded RECEDE. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 8The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "A" (S-553) as Amended by Senate Amendment "A" (S-633) thereto in NON-CONCURRENCE.Minor
- Apr 8Committee Amendment "A" (S-553) as Amended by Senate Amendment "A" (S-633) thereto ADOPTED.Minor
- Apr 8Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 911 Yeas 19 - Nays 16 - Excused 0 - Absent 0
- Apr 8On further motion by Same Senator Senate Amendment "A" (S-633) to Committee Amendment "A" (S-553) READ and ADOPTED in NON-CONCURRENCE.
- Apr 8On motion by Same Senator the Senate RECEDED whereby Committee Amendment "A" (S-553) was ADOPTED.Minor
- Apr 8Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 910 Yeas 25 - Nays 10 - Excused 0 - Absent 0
- Apr 8Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock moved the Senate RECEDE from PASSAGE TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (S-553) PREVAILEDMinor
- Apr 8Taken from the table by the President
- Apr 6On motion by Senator PIERCE of Cumberland Tabled until Later in Today's Session, pending FURTHER CONSIDERATION.
- Apr 2ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Vote recorded ADOPT HAH-965 to CAS-553. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 2In NON-CONCURRENCE and sent for concurrence.
- Apr 2The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-553) as Amended by House Amendment "A" (H-965) thereto.Minor
- Apr 2Under suspension of the rules, the Bill was given its SECOND READING without REFERENCE to the Committee on Bills in the Second Reading.
- Apr 2Committee Amendment "A" (S-553) as Amended by House Amendment "A" (H-965) thereto was ADOPTED.Minor
- Apr 2(Yeas 122 - Nays 23 - Absent 5 - Excused 0 - Vacant 1)
- Apr 2ROLL CALL NO. 724
- Apr 2On motion of Representative SUPICA of Bangor, House Amendment "A" (H-965) to Committee Amendment "A" (S-553) was READ and ADOPTED.
- Apr 2Committee Amendment "A" (S-553) was READ.
- Apr 2The Bill was READ ONCE.Minor
- Apr 2Subsequently, the Committee Report was ACCEPTED.
- Apr 2Speaker laid before the House
- Mar 25Later today assigned.
- Mar 25On motion of Representative MOONEN of Portland, TABLED pending ACCEPTANCE of the Committee Report.
- Mar 25The Committee Report was READ.
- Mar 25On OBJECTION of Representative MOONEN of Portland REMOVED.
- Mar 25CONSENT CALENDAR - FIRST DAY
- Mar 24Sent down for concurrence.
- Mar 24Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "A" (S-553)Minor
- Mar 24Committee Amendment "A" (S-553) READ and ADOPTED.Minor
- Mar 24READ ONCE.Minor
- Mar 24Subsequently, Report ACCEPTED.
- Mar 24Taken from the table by the President
- Mar 17On motion by Senator HICKMAN of Kennebec Tabled until Later in Today's Session, pending ACCEPTANCE of the Report.
- Mar 17Report READ.
- Mar 16Reported Out - OTP-AM
- Mar 4Voted - OTP-AM
- Mar 4Work Session Reconsidered
- Feb 20Voted - Divided Report
- Feb 20Work Session Held
- Jan 7In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Jan 7The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on VETERANS AND LEGAL AFFAIRS.Minor
- Jan 7Committee on VETERANS AND LEGAL AFFAIRS suggested and ordered printed REFERENCE to the Committee on VETERANS AND LEGAL AFFAIRS Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrenceIntroduced