HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2507        FILED ON: 1/14/2009

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 295

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act to establish an annual caterer license..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Massachusetts General Law Chapter 138, Section 12, as most recently amended, is further amended by adding the following paragraph:

The Commission may issue an annual caterer’s license to an operator of a catering business for the sale and service of all alcoholic beverages to be served and drunk on the premise(s) where the operator is catering a private event that is not open to the public, provided the premise(s) is in a city or town where the granting of a license under §12 to sell alcoholic beverages is authorized.  The holder of a caterer’s license shall purchase all alcoholic beverages for resale from a store licensed pursuant to §15 and shall maintain liquor liability insurance providing security for the liability of the licensee to a limit of not less than $100,000 to any one person and $200,000 to all persons.  The service of alcoholic beverages shall not be for more than five (5) hours during any catered event.  All agents and employees of a licensed caterer who serve alcoholic beverages shall be certified by a nationally recognized alcoholic beverages server training program. 

The Commission after notice to the licensee and reasonable opportunity to be heard may modify, suspend, revoke or cancel the license upon satisfactory proof that the licensee violated or permitted a violation of any condition thereof, any law of the Commonwealth or any regulation of the Commission.  The decision of the Commission shall be final and conclusive.  A caterer’s license shall authorize the licensee to store, transport and deliver alcoholic beverages in the ordinary course of the licensee’s business.  Alcoholic beverages may be stored only on premises owned by the licensee or that the licensee has the exclusive right to occupy.  The license shall be renewable annually and the annual fee shall be two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500).