Sec. 1. 28-A MRSA §653, sub-§1, śC, as amended by PL 1999, c. 589, §1, is further amended to read:

C. If the municipal officers or the county commissioners, as the case may be, fail to take final action on an application for a new on-premise license, for transfer of the location of an existing on-premise license or for renewal of an on-premise license within 60 days of the filing of an application, the application is deemed approved and ready for action by the bureau. For purposes of this paragraph, the date of filing of the application is the date the application is received by the municipal officers or county commissioners. This paragraph applies to all applications pending before municipal officers or county commissioners as of the effective date of this paragraph as well as all applications filed on or after the effective date of this paragraph. This paragraph applies to an existing on-premise license that has been extended pending renewal. The municipal officers or the county commissioners shall take final action on an on-premise license that has been extended pending renewal within 120 days of the filing of the application.

SUMMARY

This bill clarifies that municipal officers or county commissioners have 60 days to take final action on a new application for an on-premise liquor license. Renewal license applications must be approved within 120 days.