Amendment #548 to H5562

Standardizing Legal Age Restrictions

Mr. Cahill of Lynn moves to amend the bill by inserting the following sections:

SECTION XXX. Chapter 93 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2024 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following new section:-

Section 115.  (a) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall have the following meanings:

“Local authority”, any city, town, municipality, or political subdivision of the commonwealth, including any board of health, licensing commission, or legislative body thereof.

“Product or service”, any legal commodity, good, or professional service, including but not limited to tobacco products, nicotine delivery systems, alcoholic beverages, or adult-use services where the commonwealth has imposed minimum legal age requirement for purchase, use or sale.

(b) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, including the Home Rule Amendment, any statute enacted by the General Court that establishes a minimum age for the purchase of a product or service, or for participation in an activity, shall supersede and preempt any rule, regulation, ordinance, or by-law of a local authority that implements a generational ban or birth-date-based restriction that prohibits the sale of products or services to persons based on a specific birth year or date.

SECTION XXX.  Any local ordinance or regulation existing at the time of the passage of this act that conflicts with the provisions of section 1 is hereby declared null and void. No local city, town, municipality, or political subdivision of the commonwealth, including any board of health, licensing commission, or legislative body thereof shall hereafter be authorized to enact or enforce any age or year-based measure that differs from the minimum age-based standards established by the commonwealth.

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

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #548 to H5562

Standardizing Legal Age Restrictions