By Bob Katzen

The Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee held a virtual online hearing on legislation that would repeal a current law the requires that liquor licensing boards include at least one member of each leading political party.

“While requiring liquor licensing boards to have at least one member of each party may have made sense in an era where political parties would give liquor licenses to reward their supporters and withhold licenses to punish their enemies, these days have, happily, long since passed,” said the measure’s co-sponsor Sen. Joan Lovely (D-Salem). “Liquor licensing boards should be permitted to appoint the most qualified candidate regardless of party. The bill … would free municipalities from a needless restriction when they seek to fill liquor licensing board vacancies.”