An Act To Repeal Laws Prohibiting Certain Businesses from Operating on Sunday
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, certain businesses in Maine are not allowed to operate on Sunday, placing them at an economic disadvantage; and
Whereas, current economic realities require that business owners be allowed to operate on Sunday to contribute to the recovery of Maine’s economy; and
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,
Sec. 1. 8 MRSA §268, first ¶, as amended by PL 1999, c. 394, §1, is further amended to read:
The commission shall adopt rules for holding, conducting and operating all harness horse races or meets for public exhibition held in this State and for the operation of racetracks on which any such race or meet is held ; notwithstanding any other provision of law, harness horse races or meets licensed to be held on Sunday may commence at, but not before, noon.
Sec. 2. 14 MRSA §705, as amended by PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. D, §15 and affected by Pt. E, §2, is repealed.
Sec. 3. 16 MRSA §353-A, as enacted by PL 1979, c. 11, §2, is repealed.
Sec. 4. 17 MRSA §312, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. I, §2 and affected by Pt. X, §2, is amended to read:
Sec. 5. 17 MRSA c. 105, sub-c. 1, as amended, is repealed.
Sec. 6. 17 MRSA c. 105, sub-c. 2, as amended, is repealed.
Sec. 7. 28-A MRSA §4, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2001, c. 21, §1, is further amended to read:
(1) In areas in which liquor may be sold except on Sundays, if January 1st falls on a Monday, licensees may sell or deliver liquor between 9 p.m. Sunday, December 31st and 2 a.m. January 1st, notwithstanding any local option decisions to the contrary.
Sec. 8. 28-A MRSA §4, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 45, Pt. A, §4, is repealed.
Sec. 9. 28-A MRSA §4, sub-§6, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 45, Pt. A, §4, is repealed.
Sec. 10. 28-A MRSA §123, as amended by PL 1997, c. 373, §30, is further amended to read:
§ 123. Local option questions
Any one or more of the following questions may be voted on in a local option election held under section 121. Each question applies to both full-time and part-time licensed establishments.
Sec. 11. 28-A MRSA §353, as amended by PL 1997, c. 373, §40, is further amended to read:
§ 353. Business hours
State liquor stores and agency liquor stores may be open for the sale and delivery of liquor between the hours of 6 a.m. and 1 a.m. in municipalities and unincorporated places that have voted in favor of the operation of state liquor stores under local option provisions. Notwithstanding any local option decisions to the contrary, state liquor stores and agency liquor stores may be open from 9 a.m. Sunday to 1 a.m. the next day. The alcohol bureau shall establish the hours of operation of each state liquor store.
Sec. 12. 28-A MRSA §601, sub-§2, ¶D, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 45, Pt. A, §4, is repealed.
Sec. 13. 28-A MRSA §601, sub-§2, ¶E, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 45, Pt. A, §4, is repealed.
Sec. 14. 28-A MRSA §1077, sub-§2, ¶C, as amended by PL 1997, c. 656, §3, is repealed.
Sec. 15. 28-A MRSA §1355, sub-§3, ¶B, as amended by PL 1993, c. 730, §46, is further amended to read:
Sec. 16. 29-A MRSA §903, sub-§1, ¶H, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read:
Sec. 17. 38 MRSA §490-Z, sub-§14, ¶G, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 700, §35, is amended to read:
Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.
SUMMARY
This bill repeals the so-called "Sunday blue laws," which prohibit certain businesses, such as automobile dealerships, from operating on Sundays.