Last week, Maine lawmakers voted to reject LD 1754-a bill that would have allowed certain spirits to be shipped directly to consumers' homes from out-of-state sellers. This marks the third year in a row that legislators chose to stand with local businesses, uphold public safety, and protect Maine jobs over large corporations that would benefit from this bill.
LD 1754 was a risk Maine couldn't afford.
If passed, the bill would have upended the state's carefully regulated three-tier alcohol distribution system. It would have allowed both in-state distillers and certain out-of-state producers to bypass Maine's established retail system and ship directly to consumers-removing the safeguards that ensure alcohol is sold responsibly and legally.
Local alcohol retailers and agency stores spoke out forcefully against the bill, highlighting that it would:
Jeopardize public safety by increasing the risk of underage access to alcohol through unregulated doorstep deliveries with minimal ID verification.
Eliminate local jobs and undercut small businesses, potentially costing Maine nearly 64 jobs and more than $2 million in wages.
Drain state resources, requiring an estimated $500,000 in enforcement costs for the Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operations (BABLO)-without providing specific new funding.
Divert critical tax revenue away from local communities and into the pockets of large, out-of-state corporations.
Local agency liquor stores-often family-run operations rooted in their communities-have spent decades responsibly serving Mainers. Their employees are trained to prevent underage sales, and they operate under a system designed to ensure public accountability. LD 1754 would have bypassed all of that, putting convenience and corporate profits ahead of safety and fairness.
The Maine Beverage Distributors Association (MBDA), in partnership with Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA), worked alongside local stakeholders, grocers, and agency stores to educate lawmakers on the risks and economic downsides of the bill. Together, they made it clear: DTC shipping of spirits is not in Maine's best interest.
Maine now joins the eight other states where similar legislation was introduced and failed to pass this session. Across the country, lawmakers are recognizing that while online convenience is growing, the safety and economic health of communities and regulatory integrity of the alcohol industry, must come first.
WSWA applauds the Maine Legislature for making the right call once again!
By rejecting LD 1754, they protected local jobs, preserved essential public safety safeguards, and upheld a time-tested system that ensures accountability in alcohol sales.