HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 5452

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, May 26, 2026.

 The committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure, to whom was referred the joint petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 5383) of Joseph D. McKenna, Ryan C. Fattman and Paul K. Frost (by vote of the town) that the town of Oxford be authorized to grant one additional license for the sale of all alcoholic beverages not to be drunk on the premises in said town, reports recommending that the accompanying bill (House, No. 5452) ought to pass [Local Approval Received].

For the committee,

TACKEY CHAN.

        FILED ON: 5/22/2026

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 5452

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act authorizing the town of Oxford to grant 2 additional licenses for the sale of all alcoholic beverages not to be drunk on the premises.

 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. (a) Notwithstanding section 17 of chapter 138 of the General Laws, the licensing authority of the town of Oxford may grant two additional licenses for the sale of all alcoholic beverages not to be drunk on the premises pursuant to section 15 of said chapter 138 to establishments located within the 3 economic development zones described in subsection (b) upon approval of and under conditions set by the licensing authority of the town of Oxford. A license granted under this act shall be clearly marked on its face either “Highway Interchange”, “Village Business”, or “General Business” as applicable, and subject to all of said chapter 138 except said section 17.

 (b) The licensing authority shall restrict the licenses authorized in this act to establishments located with either the town’s: (i) “Highway Interchange” zone as designated on the map, (ii) “Village Business” zone, which shall include only the Central Business and Central Professional zones as designated on the map, or (iii) “General Business” zone, which shall include only the northerly and southerly parcels directly abutting U.S. Route 20 that are included in the area designated as the General Business zone on the map. For the purposes of this subsection, “map” shall mean as those areas designated on a map entitled “Zoning Map” produced by the town of Oxford’s Clerk’s Office and dated April 29, 2026, a copy of which is on file in the office of the town clerk of the town of Oxford.

 (c) The licensing authority of the town of Oxford shall not approve the transfer of a license granted pursuant to this act to a location outside of the town’s initial zoned area as described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of subsection (b), but it may grant such license to a new applicant within such initial zoned area if the applicant files with the licensing authority a letter from the department of revenue and a letter from the department of unemployment assistance indicating that the license is in good standing with those departments and that all applicable taxes, fees, and contributions have been paid. 

 (d) If the licensee terminates or fails to renew a license granted under this section or any  such license is cancelled, revoked, or no longer in use, it shall be returned physically, with all of the legal rights, privileges, and restrictions pertaining thereto, to the licensing authority and the licensing authority may then grant the license to a new applicant under the same conditions as specified in this act. 

 (e) All licenses granted under this act shall be issued within 5 years after the effective date of this act; provided, however, that a license originally granted within that time period may be granted to a new applicant under subsections (c) and (d) thereafter. 

 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage.