Throughout the 2025 – 2026 legislative session (2 years in MA), MASSPACK effectively fought off over one hundred bills aimed at usurping and replacing locally owned alcohol retail stores. Six bills that could have repealed the local quota system and another group of bills raising alcohol excise taxes were all stopped cold by December 2025. They have been sent to study, which means these bills are finished for the remainder of the two-year legislative session that concludes at the end of 2026. Additionally, Governor Healey’s Municipal Reform bill advanced only after quota reforms affecting off premises alcohol licenses were removed. That was MASSPACK.
MASSPACK also defended against vertical integration bills introduced by breweries, malt beverage producers, and distillers. This included putting a stop to a bill introduced by DISCUS intended to reintroduce tied house practices where U.S. distillers could control how and what is placed on the shelves of stores. Several bills introduced by Total Wine and other out of state corporations allowing for below cost retail, ghost retail and sales on Thanksgiving were also sent to study in 2025 after MASSPACK testified against them.
Additionally, testimony has been submitted on 11 bills that expand the State Bottle Bill to include small alcohol bottles. This includes H3447 and H3573 that were introduced by MASSPACK. Another concern has been several neo-prohibitionist bills. H2562 – An Act to create a nicotine free generation; and S1568, which mirrors H2562 would bar the sale of all nicotine products to anyone born on or after January 1, 2006. MASSPACK testified before the Joint Committee on Public Health and strongly opposed both H2562 and S1568.
A remining concern is H478 – An Act relative to the sale of malt beverages produced by a pub brewery. H478 allows brewers to sell malt beverages products produced by and for them off the premises. H478 is strongly supported by large brewers and has been favorably reported out of committee and is awaiting a House vote.
Offensively, a record thirteen bills were filed by MASSPACK to improve the alcohol beverages marketplace. Many of these bills have already received favorable joint committee reports. This includes H440 – An Act to allow non-profits to purchase alcohol from retail package stores for charitable events (self-explanatory), S269 – An Act relative to retail liquor sales to caterers that allows caterers to buy alcohol beverages from stores, and S213 – An Act relative to the sale of alcoholic beverages, which opens the door for retailers to generate added revenues by removing state restrictions preventing tasting room sales. Other MASSPACK bills uphold the integrity of the retail tier system. Bills within this category that have received favorable reports include H4355 – An Act relative to the responsible sale of alcoholic beverages that mandates beverage alcohol training, and S212 – An Act relative to nature of alcohol licenses and permits that makes a fine in lieu of suspension of a licenses applicable to all sales by the license holder and not just the alcohol sales following a conviction for selling to minors. The focus in 2026 is to get these, and a few other bills enacted into law.
In reviewing efforts to repeal the Hemp THC beverages ban in Massachusetts, MASSPACK supports H357 and S222. Both bills replace the ban with a regulatory framework, enforcement, and a licensing scheme for stores. Simultaneously, H4206 – An Act modernizing the Commonwealth’s cannabis laws has provisions that also repeal the Hemp THC ban. The House has passed H4206, but that the Senate’s bill did not address the ban. The two bills have been referred to a conference committee that is now meeting to reconcile the two bills. Affecting all of this is the newly imposed federal Hemp THC ban that was included in the enacted federal CR that ended the federal government shutdown. Noteworthy is that the THC levels allowed in H4206 fall within the new federal mandate.
A recent (late) file by MASSPACK has been legislation mandating a 500-foot radius buffer around existing stores selling alcoholic beverages. H4597 – An Act to ensure economic opportunity related to alcohol licenses has been filed and was referred to the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure. Massachusetts currently has over 3200 off-premises licenses. H4597 had a hearing on February 4, 2026. No one spoke against the bill.
At the local level, MASSPACK has been leading efforts to stop municipal small alcohol bottle bans, which threaten independent retailers and create an uneven playing field across municipalities. Through the Pickup MA Coalition, and in partnership with wholesaler and supplier partners, these bans have been fought against successfully while promoting responsible solutions that address litter and public concerns. In seeking a long-term solution, MASSPACK has been a leading voice for a statewide expansion of the Bottle Bill to include 50ml containers. MASSPACK has also been effective in testifying at hearings to increase licenses and ban the sale of cigars and other products that are lawfully purchased by adults.
Executive Director Rob Mellion
