HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2994        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 161

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Evandro C. Carvalho

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act modernizing the business licensing process.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2994        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 161

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

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An Act modernizing the business licensing process.

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

SECTION 1. Section 12 of chapter 138 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “antemeridian”, in lines 130, and in line 134, the second time it appears the following words:- , except in a city or town that is serviced by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority as authorized by chapter 161A if the local governing body of such city or town accepts this provision.

SECTION 2. Section 2 of chapter 140 as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph: -

“Licensing authorities, at their discretion and subject to local licensing rules and regulations, may exempt all innholders and common victuallers that do not serve alcoholic beverages from the licensing requirements of this section.”

SECTION 3.  Section 177A of chapter 140 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the first sentence of the first paragraph the following sentence: -

“Notwithstanding the requirements of this section, the licensing authority in any city or town shall have the authority to exempt all automatic amusement devices from licensing requirements under this section.”

SECTION 4.  Section 177 of chapter 140 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the first sentence of the first paragraph the following sentence: -

“Notwithstanding the requirements of this section, the licensing authority in any city or town shall have the authority to exempt any person who keeps such billiard, pool, or sippio table or bowling alley from the licensure requirements of this section.”

SECTION 5. Section 181 of chapter 140 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:

“The Mayor or Selectmen, at their discretion and subject to local licensing rules and regulations, may set a maximum capacity for all establishments, under which the licensing requirements of this section shall not apply.”

SECTION 6. Section 183A of chapter 140 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the first paragraph the following paragraph: -

“Licensing authorities, at their discretion and subject to local licensing rules and regulations may set a maximum capacity for all establishments, under which the licensing requirements of this section shall not apply.”

SECTION 7.  Section 185I of chapter 140 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following sentence: -

“Notwithstanding the requirements of this section, the local licensing authorities in any city or town shall have the authority to exempt all fortune tellers from licensure required by this section.”