To allow an additional all alcohol beverages package store license for 233 Broad Street
Summary
This bill authorizes the Town of Bridgewater to issue one additional off-premises all-alcoholic-beverages retail license, notwithstanding the general limit in state law. The license is tied to a specific location on Broad Street and is intended for KOTAK LLC, with the bill requiring the company to surrender its existing wine-and-malt-beverage package store license as a condition of receiving the new license.
The measure also places several restrictions on the new license. It cannot be transferred to another location, though it may be reissued to a new applicant at the same site if the applicant is in good standing with the Department of Revenue and the Department of Unemployment Assistance. If the license is not renewed, is revoked, or otherwise goes unused, it must be returned to the local licensing authority and may be reissued at the same location within three years before dissolving. The license must be issued within two years of the act’s effective date.
Impact
The bill creates a local exception to chapter 138 of the General Laws, specifically section 17, by allowing Bridgewater to exceed the usual cap on alcohol package store licenses for one designated premises. It affects the town’s licensing authority, KOTAK LLC as the initial applicant, and any future applicant at the same address, while also requiring compliance with state tax and unemployment obligations as a condition of continued eligibility.
Sentiment
The available context suggests the bill is routine and locally supported rather than controversial. It received local approval from the town council and there is no recorded committee transcript or vote history indicating opposition or debate. The framing of the bill as a location-specific licensing measure suggests it was treated as a narrow municipal authorization with limited statewide policy implications.
Contention
The main point of potential contention is the creation of an additional alcohol license outside the normal statutory limit, which can raise concerns about precedent, market competition, and local control over alcohol sales. Another possible issue is the specificity of the license to one business and one address, along with the requirement that KOTAK LLC surrender an existing license to qualify. However, no explicit objections, amendments, or recorded opposition appear in the provided materials.