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 §1541, sub-§1-B is enacted to read:
Sec. 2. 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 , unless the store is a cigar lounge. 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.
Sec. 3. 22 MRSA §1542, sub-§2, ¶L-1 is enacted to read:
L-1. Smoking is not prohibited in a cigar lounge. A cigar lounge may not sell cigarettes or allow the smoking of cigarettes and may not prepare food on premises for sale. A cigar lounge shall provide notice to all applicants for employment and employees that working in a cigar lounge may cause serious negative health effects, including an increased risk of cancer and heart disease and that no level of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke is safe.
Sec. 4. 28-A MRSA §2, sub-§15, ¶B-3 is enacted to read:
B-3. "Cigar lounge" has the same meaning as in Title 22, section 1541, subsection 1-B.
Sec. 5. 28-A MRSA §1012, sub-§7 is enacted to read:
Sec. 6. 28-A MRSA §1080 is enacted to read:
The bureau may issue licenses under this section to cigar lounges for the sale of spirits, wine and malt liquor to be consumed on the premises.
summary
This bill allows a tobacco specialty store to be licensed as a cigar lounge, which may serve nonalcoholic and alcoholic beverages. A cigar lounge may not sell cigarettes or prepare food on premises for sale. A tobacco specialty store that is a cigar lounge must provide notice about the dangers of environmental tobacco smoke to applicants for employment and employees. The cigar lounge license fee is $100 per year.