Maine alcohol law governs the sale and possession of alcohol in the state of Maine in the United States. Maine is a country of alcoholic beverage control.
Serving alcohol in Maine State is overseen by the National Drinks and Lottery Commission. The Commission consists of five members appointed by the Governor of Maine and confirmed by the Maine Legislature. They meet monthly to provide public oversight and review the performance and operations of Maine Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operations (BABLO).
BABLO is responsible for regulating the business practices of the alcohol industry, creating a favorable economic climate for the industry, and prohibiting sales to minors. They also lease state monopolies on warehousing and distribution of refined beverages and fortified wine; The lease is held by Maine Beverage Company, which entered into a 10-year contract in 2004. A new 10-year lease is awarded to Maine Beverage company subcontractor Pine State Trading Co. to take effect on 1 July 2014. It is expected that the new lease, making money to pay the debt to a Maine hospital, will allow prices to be reduced to popular spirits in an effort to prevent the loss of sales to New Hampshire, which has lower prices and no sales tax.
The Maine Public Security Department, through the Maine County State Police Conservation and Licensing Division, is responsible for licensing, importing, storing, transporting and selling all liquors. They also manage laws relating to licensing and collecting taxes on liquor and wine.
The 28-A Title of the Revised Statute of Maine contains laws and regulations governing liquor.
Video Alcohol laws of Maine
Sales limit
Time and practice
Alcohol can be sold between the hours of 5 am to 1 am every day of the week. On New Year's Day, alcohol can be sold until 2 am.
Liquor can be consumed in licensed companies for on-site consumption until 1:15 am, with the exception of New Year's Day when it's 2:15 am If Day St. Patrick falls on a Sunday, sales at bars and restaurants can take place from 6 am
It is illegal to distribute alcoholic beverages for free, and serve customers more than two drinks at a time. Practices designed to get customers to drink more, such as drinking games, are prohibited, such as giving a drink as a gift.
Places
Alcohol sales were only once permitted from state-owned shops, but the laws that established the stores were repealed in 1991 and the stores gradually closed. Private-owned stores are now licensed to operate as "Instant Liquor Stores". Companies that sell liquor should not be within 300 feet of an existing school or church unless a public hearing is held near the proposed location of establishment, or establishment in a downtown area.
Liquor can be sold from a stroller on the golf course.
Ads
The Maine Act was amended in 2014 to allow bars to display their alcoholic beverage content. Previously, bars were not allowed to display alcohol content (though they could state it verbally) or use certain phrases like "high test" or "high proof" on the screen. The original reason behind the law, post-Prohibition pass in 1937, is that if the bar displays the strength of their liquor, consumers will drink more. Modern companies, however, state that providing consumers such information helps them to better control their alcohol consumption. After the bar pressed the Legislature in February 2014 to try to revoke the law, Reid Director of BABLO rewrote law enforcement policy to declare that only a list of alcoholic content would not be punished, although it would still be if the list was decorated in descriptive language. The law was lifted on April 8, 2014 without the signature of Governor Paul LePage, allowing bars and restaurants to list their alcoholic beverage content on menus and signs.
Advertising for liquor in the media must be approved by BABLO, and it is forbidden to use Maine State House images in liquor advertising.
Maps Alcohol laws of Maine
drinking age
The legal age to buy and consume alcohol in Maine was 21, which was instituted in 1987. Children can consume alcohol at home in the presence of parents of parents. Minors may not be carrying liquor unless required by underage work, or at the request of their parents, guardian or custodian.
Tax
The liquor tax at the store level is included in the price and is calculated by BABLO to collect enough money to cover their expenses and make money for the State Fund at a rate equal to the previous year.
In addition, the per-gallon excise tax is also imposed on the manufacture and sale of liquor. The amount varies depending on the type of liquor.
Local law
Municipalities in Maine may, by local referenda, prohibit the sale of alcohol in the municipality, and have been able to do so since the end of the Prohibition in 1933. They may do so for consumption both on and off-site. The most recent city to change the drink law is Sedgwick who chooses to allow the sale of alcohol for on-site consumption at a town meeting March 13, 2013. In 2012, Cushing chose to allow the sale of alcohol. According to the State Police, there are still 56 dry towns in Maine.
Driving
Legal Blood Alcohol Content Limit (BAC) for drunk driving in Maine is 0.08%; however, a person may be charged with Operating Under the Influence (OUI) with any BAC above.00%, especially if supported by other evidence of impairment. According to Maine law, a person can be accused of OUI if someone is "disturbed in the slightest." A BAC of 0.08% is considered to be proof of Prima Facie, or stand-alone evidence (and without further support by other evidence) to secure confidence in the Maine court. Teen drivers may not have alcohol in their systems. Maine also has an implied permit law, interpreting a refusal to submit a breathalyzer test at the request of a police officer for failing in such a test.
Drinking alcohol in motor vehicles is prohibited. Open containers of alcohol are generally prohibited. One exception is a vehicle without luggage if the container is placed in an area not normally occupied by the driver or passenger, or behind the last upright seat in the vehicle. They are also allowed for passengers in vehicles to rent (except taxis), residence of mobile homes, trailers, semitrailers, or camping trucks, and in vehicles operated by licensed caterers that transport alcohol to or from an event.
More
People who are under the influence of alcohol may not have firearms in bars and restaurants. Such a company may also, but not be required to, prohibit firearms from all customers where they are established.
Liquor and public intoxication are not allowed in Maine state parks. Public poisoning and in some cases consumption is also not allowed in Acadia National Park per federal law.
See also
- Maine Law (or "Maine Liquor Law"), passed in 1851 in Maine
- Maine Liquor Division and Compliance Division
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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