AN ACT RELATING TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES -- LICENSES GENERALLY (Authorizes the town of Scituate to issue a total of three (3) Class A liquor licenses.)

H8231

2026 -- H 8231
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LC005987
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES -- LICENSES GENERALLY

Introduced By:
Representative Robert J. Quattrocchi

Date Introduced:
March 04, 2026

Referred To:
House Municipal Government & Housing
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 3-5-16 of the General Laws in Chapter 3-5 entitled "Licenses
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Generally" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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3-5-16. Maximum number of licenses.
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(a)(1) The department of business regulation shall have the right and power to limit the
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number of licenses of each class. The limit shall not exceed the maximum number, if any, of any
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class of license that is fixed by the licensing boards within their respective towns or cities.
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(2) The number of Class C licenses in any town or city shall not exceed one for each one
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thousand (1,000) of its inhabitants.
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(3) Every city and town may grant in any year renewals of any license of Class A in
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operation prior to April 28, 1969, except when renewal of that license is refused for cause, but no
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further new and original licenses of Class A shall be granted until the number of licenses of Class
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A outstanding in any city or town has been reduced to less than one for each six thousand (6,000)
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of its inhabitants (one for each four thousand (4,000) of its inhabitants in any city or town with less
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than twenty thousand (20,000) inhabitants), as determined by the last census taken under the
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authority of the United States or the state, by cancellation, revocation, or the failure of holders of
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those licenses to apply for renewals. After that reduction to less than one for each six thousand
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(6,000) inhabitants (one for each four thousand (4,000) inhabitants in any town or city with less
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than twenty thousand (20,000) inhabitants), licenses of Class A may be granted in any year by any
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city or town only up to a total not exceeding one for each six thousand (6,000) of its inhabitants

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(one for each four thousand (4,000) of its inhabitants in any town or city with less than twenty
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thousand (20,000) inhabitants) as determined by census as required in this subsection. However,
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two (2) Class A licenses may be issued by every city or town of the state irrespective of population
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and, until the qualified electors of any city or town shall vote to the contrary, one Class A license
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may be issued in every city or town in this state unless otherwise ordered by the city or town
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council.
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Any Class A license issued to or held by a Class E licensee pursuant to the provisions of §
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3-7-5 shall be included in the total of, and subject to the limit upon the number of, Class A licenses
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which may be granted by any city or town under this section.
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(b) The transfer of any existing license from the holder of this license to another person
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shall not be considered as the issuance of a new license under this section.
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(c) The several cities and towns, except those cities and towns that had in effect on June 1,
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1971, a limit on the number of retailers’ Class B or D licenses, shall not issue any new retailers’
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Class B or D licenses until May 1, 1972. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any
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application filed on or before May 30, 1971.
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(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, irrespective of the
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population of the town of Smithfield, it is expressly authorized to issue a total of five (5) Class A
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liquor licenses.
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(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, irrespective of the
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population of the town of Scituate, it is expressly authorized to issue a total of three (3) Class A
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liquor licenses.
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC005987
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LC005987 - Page 2 of 3
EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES -- LICENSES GENERALLY
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This act would authorize the town of Scituate to issue a total of three (3) Class A liquor
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licenses.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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LC005987
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LC005987 - Page 3 of 3