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An Act To Promote Equity in Business Opportunity for Tobacco Specialty Stores
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §1542, sub-§2, ¶L, as amended by PL 2007, c. 180, §2, is further amended to read:
 
L.  Smoking is not prohibited in a tobacco specialty store. The on-premises service, preparation or consumption of food or drink, if the tobacco specialty store is not licensed for such service or consumption prior to January 1, 2007, is prohibited in such a store. Smoking a waterpipe or hookah is prohibited in a tobacco specialty store that is newly licensed or that requires a new license after January 1, 2007.
 
SUMMARY
Current law allows the on-premises service, preparation and consumption of food and drink in tobacco specialty stores only if those stores were licensed for such services prior to January 1, 2007. This bill removes the prohibition on the acquisition of such licenses by tobacco specialty stores subsequent to January 1, 2007.