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| 2 | 2 | | HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3414 FILED ON: 1/17/2025 |
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| 3 | 3 | | HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 435 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | John J. Mahoney |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act amending successor supplier laws. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:John J. Mahoney13th Worcester1/17/2025 1 of 2 |
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| 16 | 16 | | HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3414 FILED ON: 1/17/2025 |
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| 17 | 17 | | HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 435 |
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| 18 | 18 | | By Representative Mahoney of Worcester, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 435) of |
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| 19 | 19 | | John J. Mahoney relative to the right or obligation to sell items with brand names to wholesalers. |
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| 20 | 20 | | Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure. |
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| 21 | 21 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 22 | 22 | | _______________ |
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| 23 | 23 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court |
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| 24 | 24 | | (2025-2026) |
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| 25 | 25 | | _______________ |
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| 26 | 26 | | An Act amending successor supplier laws. |
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| 27 | 27 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 28 | 28 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 29 | 29 | | 1 Chapter 138 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby |
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| 30 | 30 | | 2amended by inserting after section 25E 3/4 the following section:- |
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| 31 | 31 | | 3 Section 25E 7/8. (a) For purposes of this section, a “successor supplier” shall mean any |
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| 32 | 32 | | 4person who acquires, in any manner whatsoever, whether directly or indirectly, the right or |
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| 33 | 33 | | 5obligation to sell an item with brand name to a wholesaler licensed in the commonwealth. |
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| 34 | 34 | | 6 (b) Any successor supplier acquiring a right or obligation to sell to a wholesaler does so |
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| 35 | 35 | | 7subject to the agreement between the wholesaler and the supplier existing at the time of |
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| 36 | 36 | | 8succession. |
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| 37 | 37 | | 9 An agreement with a licensed wholesaler includes, without limitation, a commercial |
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| 38 | 38 | | 10relationship of a definite or indefinite duration between a wholesaler and the person selling a |
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| 39 | 39 | | 11brand item to such wholesaler, whether oral or in writing, or any relationship whereby the 2 of 2 |
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| 40 | 40 | | 12licensed wholesaler is granted the right to offer and sell items with brand names within the |
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| 41 | 41 | | 13commonwealth. |
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| 42 | 42 | | 14 All sales of a brand name item made to a licensed wholesaler prior to succession shall be |
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| 43 | 43 | | 15attributed to the successor supplier for the purpose of determining whether six months of regular |
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| 44 | 44 | | 16sales exist, pursuant to section 25E. |
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| 45 | 45 | | 17 The provisions of section 25E, prohibiting a supplier from refusing the sell an item |
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| 46 | 46 | | 18having a brand name, shall further be binding on any successor supplier. |
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| 47 | 47 | | 19 (c) This section shall be liberally construed to effectuate the remedial purpose of the |
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| 48 | 48 | | 20protections set forth in section 25E. |
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