# Massachusetts H 5351: An Act authorizing charity alcohol auctions Massachusetts H 5351, An Act authorizing charity alcohol auctions, is a 194th General Court (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by Thomas P. Walsh (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-09-10 (Signed by the Governor, Chapter 213 of the Acts of 2026) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MA-H5351-194 - As of: 2026-11-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Massachusetts H 5351 - State: Massachusetts - Session: 194th General Court (2025-2026) - Title: An Act authorizing charity alcohol auctions - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-04-08 - Last action: 2026-09-10, Signed by the Governor, Chapter 213 of the Acts of 2026 - Sponsor: Thomas P. Walsh (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Senate Rules, Bills in the Third Reading - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 1 (7 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Auctioneer licenses and tasting limits: mixed, low. Auctioneers licensed under chapter 100 for at least 10 years can get a license to sell alcohol at auctions for off‑site pickup. Licenses cover the auctioneer’s main office or a section 12 or 15 location. Fees cannot exceed the minimum retail license fee. Auction license holders may offer free sampl… - Temporary off-site alcohol auctions for charities and retailers: mixed, low. The law lets charities, section 15 stores, and joint charity‑business teams get temporary licenses to sell alcohol at auctions for off‑site pickup. Each license lasts up to 10 consecutive days. Nonprofits can get up to 5 a year; others up to 2. Sales must occur at listed premises, such as the chari… - Temporary on-site alcohol sales for charities: mixed, low. The law lets chapter 180 charities get a temporary on‑premises alcohol license, or apply with a section 12 business. Each license lists the event location and lasts up to 10 consecutive days; no more than 2 per year. Donated drinks are allowed, and donor employees may pour without pay. All proceeds… - Old alcohol auction law repealed: mixed, low. The law repeals Chapter 153 of the Acts of 1997. The practical effect depends on what that 1997 law covered. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Thomas P. Walsh (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Joan Meschino (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-07-28 | committee | Committee Place in OD: Placed in the Orders of the Day | pass | 7 | 0 | | ## Actions (15) - 2026-09-10: Signed by the Governor, Chapter 213 of the Acts of 2026 - 2026-09-03: Enacted and laid before the Governor (Senate) - 2026-09-03: Enacted (House) - 2026-08-31: House concurred in the Senate amendment (House) - 2026-08-13: Referred to the committee on Bills in the Third Reading (House) - 2026-08-10: Passed to be engrossed (Senate) - 2026-08-10: Amended (Payano) by striking out all after the enacting clause and inserting in place thereof the text of S3252 (Senate) - 2026-08-10: Read third (Senate) - 2026-08-10: Taken out of the Orders of the Day (Senate) - 2026-07-31: Read second and ordered to a third reading (Senate) - 2026-07-31: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2026-07-31: Committee reported that the matter be placed in the Orders of the Day for the next session (Senate) - 2026-04-09: Read; and referred to the committee on Senate Rules (Senate) - 2026-04-08: Passed to be engrossed (House) - 2026-04-08: Substituted for H442 (House) ## Bill text - Chapter 213 of the Acts of 2026, 2026-09-10: [PDF](https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H5351.pdf) ## Related bills - H 4585: An Act authorizing the town of Auburn to offer expanded senior property tax abatements (signed) - H 5435: An Act authorizing the town of Topsfield to continue to employment of police chief Neal Hovey (passed senate) - H 5515: An Act to increase the value of estates eligible for abatements pursuant to M.G.L. chapter 59, section 5, clauses seventeenth D and forty-first C in the town o… (passed house) - H 4755: An Act amending the means tested senior citizen property tax exemption in the town of Sudbury (signed) - H 3909: An Act authorizing the Provincetown year-round market rate rental housing trust to acquire year-round housing occupancy restrictions (signed) - H 5429: An Act providing injured on duty compensation to Chelmsford firefighter Nicholas Spinale (second reading) ## Sources - [Chapter 213 of the Acts of 2026 (PDF)](https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H5351.pdf) ## Related - [H 4585: An Act authorizing the town of Auburn to offer expanded senior property tax aba…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MA-H4585-194) - [H 5435: An Act authorizing the town of Topsfield to continue to employment of police ch…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MA-H5435-194) - [H 5515: An Act to increase the value of estates eligible for abatements pursuant to M.G…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MA-H5515-194) - [H 4755: An Act amending the means tested senior citizen property tax exemption in the t…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MA-H4755-194) - [H 3909: An Act authorizing the Provincetown year-round market rate rental housing trust…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MA-H3909-194) - [H 5429: An Act providing injured on duty compensation to Chelmsford firefighter Nichola…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MA-H5429-194) - [Massachusetts bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/massachusetts/bills) - [Massachusetts state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/massachusetts) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MA-H5351-194 (as of 2026-11-01).