An Act authorizing the town of Dartmouth to grant an additional license for the sale of all alcoholic beverages not to be drunk on the premises

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The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: Christopher M. Markey
Last action: 2026-05-14
Official status: Read third and passed to be engrossed
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Act Allowing Dartmouth to Issue More Alcohol Sales Licenses

This act allows the town of Dartmouth to issue one more license for selling alcohol that isn't meant to be drunk on the premises.

What This Bill Does

Allows Dartmouth's licensing authority to give Lofberg Market Place, LLC an extra license to sell all types of alcoholic drinks not meant to be consumed there.
Requires the new licensee to show good standing with tax and unemployment departments before getting a transfer or renewal.
Sets rules for what happens if the license is no longer used by the original holder.

Who It Names or Affects

The town of Dartmouth
Lofberg Market Place, LLC

Terms To Know

licensing authority: The group in charge of giving out licenses to sell alcohol.
licensee: A business or person who has a license to sell alcohol.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify what happens if the new license isn't issued within one year.
The act does not explain how many licenses Dartmouth can issue in total after this change.

Bill History

2026-05-14 Senate
Taken out of the Orders of the Day
2026-05-14 Senate
Read third and passed to be engrossed
2025-11-17 Senate
Read, rules suspended, read second and ordered to a third reading
2025-11-13 House
Read third and passed to be engrossed
2025-07-31 House
Committee reported that the matter be placed in the Orders of the Day for the next sitting
2025-07-31 House
Rules suspended
2025-07-31 House
Read second and ordered to a third reading
2025-07-17 House
Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Steering, Policy and Scheduling
2025-05-23 Joint
Hearing scheduled for 06/02/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in B-2
2025-05-01 Senate
Senate concurred
2025-04-07 House
Referred to the committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure

Official Summary Text

An Act authorizing the town of Dartmouth to grant an additional license for the sale of all alcoholic beverages not to be drunk on the premises
By Representative Markey of Dartmouth, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 4006) of Christopher M. Markey (by vote of the town) that the town of Dartmouth be authorized to grant an additional license for the sale of all alcoholic beverages not to be drunk on the premises in said town. Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure. [Local Approval Received.]

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

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Bill H.4006

SECTION 1. (a) Notwithstanding section 17 of chapter 138 of the General Laws, the licensing authority of the town of Dartmouth may grant 1 additional license for the sale of all alcoholic beverages not to be drunk on the premises pursuant to section 15 to Lofberg Market Place, LLC, d/b/a Farm and Coast Market, located at 7-9 Bridge Street in the town. The license granted pursuant to this section shall be subject to all said chapter 138 except said section 17.

(b) The licensing authority shall not approve the transfer of a license granted pursuant to this section to any other location, but it may grant the license to a new applicant at the same location if the applicant files with the licensing authority a letter from the department of revenue and a letter from the department of unemployment assistance indicating that the license is in good standing with those departments and that all applicable taxes, fees and contributions have been paid.

(c) If a licensee terminates or fails to renew a license granted under this section or any such license is cancelled, revoked or no longer in use, it shall be returned physically, with all of the legal rights, privileges and restrictions pertaining thereto, to the licensing authority which may, within 3 years after such return, then grant the license to a new applicant at the same location and under the same conditions as specified in this section, otherwise such license shall dissolve.

(d) The license granted under this section shall be issued within 1 year after the effective date of this act; provided, however, that if the license is originally granted within that time period, it may be granted to a new applicant under subsections (b) and (c) thereafter.

SECTION 2. Upon issuance of the license authorized under section 1 of this act, the licensee shall return physically, with all of the legal rights, privileges and restrictions pertaining thereto, to the licensing authority its license for the sale of wine and malt beverages not to be drunk on the premises under section 15 of chapter 138.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon its passage.

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