HOUSE . . . . . . . . No. 5171
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, December 10, 2020.
The committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure to
whom was referred the joint petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
4725) of Kate Lipper-Garabedian and Jason M. Lewis (with the approval
of the mayor and city council) that the city of Melrose be authorized to
convert up to three licenses for the sale of wine and malt beverages to be
drunk off the premises to licenses for the sale of all alcoholic beverages to
be drunk off the premises, reports recommending that the accompanying
bill (House, No. 5171) ought to pass.
For the committee,
TACKEY CHAN.
 FILED ON: 12/9/2020
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 5171
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)
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An Act authorizing the city of Melrose to convert certain liquor licenses for the sale of all
alcoholic beverages for off premises consumption.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. (a) Notwithstanding section 11 of chapter 138 of the General Laws or
2 paragraph (1) of subsection (a), the first sentence of subsection (b), and subsection (d) of section
3 1 of chapter 327 of the acts of 2008, the liquor licensing commission of the city of Melrose shall
4 be authorized to issue not more than 3 licenses to establishments that would sell all alcoholic
5 beverages only for consumption off premises. The licenses shall be subject to all other provisions
6 of said chapter 138.
7 (b) The issuance of a liquor license under subsection (a) shall not become effective until
8 such time as the liquor licensing commission has been returned or converted a license issued
9 pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of section 1 of said chapter 327. Any such license
10 returned or converted shall not be reissued.
11 (c) The liquor licensing commission, once it has complied with subsection (b), shall
12 initially issue liquor licenses to entities that held licenses to sell wine and malt and licenses that
13 were returned under subsection (b); and such licenses for the sale of all alcohol only for
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14 consumption off premises, whether returned or converted, shall be subject to all the liquor
15 licensing commission conditions from the prior license.
16 (d) A license issued which allows for the sale of all alcoholic beverages only for
17 consumption off premises may not be the subject of a sale or transfer by the licensee. Upon the
18 licensee failing to renew or otherwise continue operating under the license, the license shall
19 revert to the liquor licensing commission in the city of Melrose.
20 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
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