AN ACT RELATIVE TO SERVING WINE IN PRIVATE CLUBS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same as follows:
The third paragraph of section 12 of chapter 138 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following 5 sentences:-
A member of a club licensed under this section may bring wine to be consumed on the premises with a meal purchased at the club, unless the club objects, which it may do at its sole discretion. At all times the club shall control the handling, serving and dispensing of wine in accordance with this chapter and may refuse to pour wine for any patron for any reason or for no reason, regardless of whether bottles are opened or unopened. Unopened bottles shall be returned to the patron who shall remove such bottles from the premises at the conclusion of the event, and open bottles shall be returned and resealed in accordance with regulations promulgated by the commission and transported in a manner authorized by section 24I of chapter 90 when carried in a motor vehicle, as defined in section 1 of said chapter 90. The club shall set and charge a reasonable corkage fee, which shall be added to the member’s meal expense. Such fee shall be set at not less than $30 and shall be applied to each bottle of wine that is opened.
Approved, January 13, 2017