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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 1033H.P. 662House of Representatives, March 14, 2025
An Act to Regulate Alcoholic Beverage Competitions
Received by the Clerk of the House on March 12, 2025. Referred to the Committee on
Veterans and Legal Affairs pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint
Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative SHAGOURY of Hallowell.
Cosponsored by Senator HICKMAN of Kennebec and
Representatives: BOYER of Poland, GRAHAM of North Yarmouth, MONTELL of Gardiner. Page 1 - 132LR1064(01)
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2 is enacted to read:
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5 following terms have the following meanings.
6 A. "Homemade liquor" has the same meaning as in section 1358.
7 B. "Liquor judging competition event" means an event where judges evaluate entries
8 of malt liquor, wine or spirits based on a set of criteria to determine a winner of the
9 competition.
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11 approval holders or persons who produce homemade liquor may apply jointly in any
12 combination for a permit to participate in a liquor judging competition event subject to the
13 conditions prescribed by this section.
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15 participate in the liquor judging competition event in the same manner and subject to the
16 same conditions as a person permitted under this section.
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18 submit a written application to the bureau no later than 15 calendar days prior to the date
19 of the competition event. The application must include the following:
20 A. The name and address of each applicant;
21 B. The title and purpose of the competition event;
22 C. The date, time and duration of the competition event;
23 D. The address and location of the competition event, including a description of the
24 area designated for the competition event; and
25 E. The sample size and overall sample limit that will be imposed at the competition
26 event consistent with the requirements in subsection 8, paragraph C.
27The permit fee for a liquor judging competition event permit is $20.
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29 bureau shall immediately approve or deny the application. The bureau shall advise
30 applicants that the permit may be suspended or revoked pursuant to chapter 33.
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33 under this section per calendar year.
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35 permitted under this section.
36 A. A person may not be charged a fee, except the fee for admission, for any malt
37 liquor, wine or spirits at the competition event.
38 B. If the venue for the liquor judging competition event is currently licensed for on-
39 premises consumption of liquor, the bureau shall temporarily suspend the authority of
40 the on-premises retail licensee to sell liquor for on-premises consumption in the area Page 2 - 132LR1064(01)
41 designated for the liquor judging competition event. Notwithstanding paragraph A, the
42 on-premises retail licensee may sell liquor for on-premises consumption outside the
43 area designated for the liquor judging competition event.
4 C. A person permitted under this section shall limit the size of samples provided for
5 the competition event to at most 4 ounces of malt liquor, at most 1 1/2 ounces of wine
6 or at most 1/2 ounce of spirits. A person permitted under this section shall limit the
7 total number of samples to at most 12 per person.
8 D. A person permitted under this section shall record the number of patrons admitted
9 to the liquor judging competition event by requiring patrons to submit a ticket or sign
10 a register or by employing some similar method of tracking attendance.
11 E. Points of entry to the competition event must be clearly defined and monitored to
12 ensure consumption takes place only within the designated area of the competition
13 event.
14 F. A minor may not attend the liquor judging competition event.
15 G. Malt liquor, wine or spirits for judging may not be poured in advance and made
16 available for patrons of the liquor judging competition event to serve themselves.
17 H. A person who is visibly intoxicated may not be served.
18 I. A person permitted under this section may provide for judging any malt liquor or
19 wine that the licensee manufactures or distributes that is registered and authorized for
20 distribution and sale under this Title, any spirits that the licensee manufactures or
21 distributes that are listed for sale by the commission or any homemade liquor
22 authorized under section 1358, whichever is applicable. Excise taxes for malt liquor
23 and wine under section 1652 must be paid before the scheduled date of the liquor
24 judging competition event.
25 J. Competition event entries of liquor under this section may be consumed only by a
26 person 21 years of age or older at the person's own risk.
27 is enacted to read:
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29 A license for the manufacture of homemade liquor is not required under this Title if
30 conditions prescribed in this section are met. For purposes of this section, "homemade
31 liquor" means liquor made by a person's own efforts in the person's home for personal use
32 that is not offered for sale.
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34 from the premises where the homemade liquor was made if the homemade liquor is entered
35 into a permitted liquor judging competition event as provided in section 1057.
36Homemade liquor may not be sold or offered for sale.
37A violation of this section is a Class E crime.
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39 This bill authorizes one or more certificate of approval holders or persons who produce
40 homemade liquor to apply jointly in any combination for a permit to participate in a liquor
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41 judging competition event subject to certain conditions. The bill defines "liquor judging
42 competition event" as an event where judges evaluate entries of malt liquor, wine or spirits
43 based on a set of criteria to determine a winner of a competition.
4 The bill also specifies that a license for the production of homemade liquor is not
5 required if certain conditions are met. The bill defines "homemade liquor" as liquor made
6 by a person's own efforts in the person's home for personal use that is not offered for sale.
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