5-A. Hearings on applications. The bureau, in accordance with the provisions of the Maine Administrative Procedure Act, shall conduct a hearing to take testimony, consider comment and deliberate on applications. In addition to giving any notice required by the Maine Administrative Procedure Act, the bureau shall give notice of public hearing in writing to any existing agency liquor stores located within 5 miles of the applicant's proposed store location by regular mail at least 15 days prior to the hearing.

6. Denial of application. The bureau shall notify any applicant denied a license of the reasons for the denial by certified mail to the mailing address given by the applicant in the application for an agency a liquor store license.

Sec. 29. 28-A MRSA §453-B, as repealed and replaced by PL 1993, c. 509, §5, is repealed.

Sec. 30. 28-A MRSA §454, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 45, Pt. A, §4, is amended to read:

§454. Liquor store in former state liquor store location

Within 72 hours of opening for business, an agency a liquor store, occupying premises previously occupied by a state liquor store, or an agency liquor store shall remove all signs on the premises of that store which that identify those premises as a state liquor store or an agency liquor store.

Sec. 31. 28-A MRSA §§454-A to 454-E are enacted to read:

§454-A.__Applications

Each applicant for a liquor store license must file an application in the form prescribed by the bureau.__The application is in addition to any other application filed with the bureau concerning other liquor licensing privileges.

§454-B.__Eligibility

1.__Qualification for a license.__The bureau may issue a license to operate a liquor store to an applicant only upon a finding that the applicant meets the eligibility requirements in section 601 and that the applicant is of sound judgment and good character, subscribes to sound business principles and meets all