# Rhode Island S2749: AN ACT RELATING TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES -- RETAIL LICENSES .

Rhode Island S2749, AN ACT RELATING TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES -- RETAIL LICENSES ., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Samuel W. Bell (Democratic); status became law, last action 2026-06-11 (Effective without Governor's signature — Chapter 077) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-S2749-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Rhode Island S2749
- State: Rhode Island
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: AN ACT RELATING TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES -- RETAIL LICENSES .
- Status: became law
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-02-27
- Last action: 2026-06-11, Effective without Governor's signature — Chapter 077
- Sponsor: Samuel W. Bell (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (95 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 16

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Providence: targeted liquor license waivers: benefit, medium. Providence can waive the usual distance rules for alcohol retailers at named sites after you apply. It covers Class B, BV, BL, BX, or P licenses, depending on the address. Examples include 737 Hope St, 225 Waterman St, 671 Broadway, 1023 Broad St, 94 Carpenter St, 777 Elmwood Ave, 601 Hartford Ave,…
- Woonsocket: downtown and address waivers: benefit, medium. Woonsocket’s city council can waive the usual distance rules for alcohol retailers after you apply. Any class of retail license can be exempted inside the Downtown Overlay District. A Class B license can also be allowed at 122 North Main St and 43 Railroad St. Each approval is site specific and dec…
- Barrington: parcel-based license waiver: benefit, low. Barrington can waive distance rules for a Class B retailer at 305 Sowams Rd after you apply. The approval, if granted, is only for that address.
- Bristol: parcel-based license waiver: benefit, low. Bristol can waive distance rules for a Class B or BV retailer at 499 Hope St after you apply. The approval, if granted, is only for that address and license types.
- Central Falls waivers for liquor licenses: benefit, low. Central Falls can approve Class B or BV licenses for 913–915 Dexter St (Plat 7, Lot 3156) and for Plat 1, Lot 171. This can happen even if a site is within the usual 200‑foot buffer from a school, a place of worship, or an objecting landowner. You must apply. The city council decides and may add lo…
- Cumberland waiver for 88 Broad Street: benefit, low. Cumberland can approve a Class B license for 88 Broad St, Lots 32, 51, and 52 of Plat 2. This can happen even if the site is inside the usual 200‑foot buffer from a school, place of worship, or an objecting landowner. You must apply. The local board decides and may set conditions.
- East Greenwich: address-based license waivers: benefit, low. East Greenwich can waive distance rules for a Class B retailer at 219 Main St and several other listed sites after you apply. Examples include 137 Main St, 59 Main St, 555 Main St, 609 Main St, 241 Main St, 155 Main St, 149 Main St, 2 Academy Ct, and 2374 Cliff St. Each approval is tied to the spec…
- East Providence: address-based license waivers: benefit, low. East Providence can waive distance rules for Class B retailers at listed sites after you apply. Examples include 130 Taunton Ave, 136 Taunton Ave, and 332 Bullock Point Ave. Each approval is site specific.
- Jamestown: address-based BVL waiver: benefit, low. Jamestown can waive distance rules for a Class BVL retailer at 53 Narragansett Ave after you apply. The approval is limited to that site and license class.
- Lincoln: parcel-based Class B waiver: benefit, low. Lincoln can waive distance rules for a Class B retailer on Plat 10, Lot 108 after you apply. The exemption applies to that parcel as it existed on December 31, 2015.
- North Providence: parcel-based waivers: benefit, low. North Providence can waive distance rules for Class B retailers at two listed sites after you apply. Sites include Plat 19, Lot 7617 and 1441 Mineral Spring Ave (Plat 23A, Lot 117). Each approval is tied to that parcel.
- Pawtucket: parcel-based license waivers: benefit, low. Pawtucket can waive distance rules for Class B, C, or N retailers on listed plats after you apply. The parcels must have existed on March 1, 2021. Listed plats include 54B Lots 4826 and 827; 65B Lot 662; and 23A Lots 599, 672, and 673.
- Providence waivers for certain liquor licenses: benefit, low. Providence can approve specific alcohol licenses at named addresses even if they are within the usual 200‑foot buffer from a school, place of worship, or an objecting landowner. Examples include 1039 Douglas Ave (Class B), 215 Dean St (Class C), 100–102 Hope St (Class B), 11 Lowell Ave and 191/187…
- South Kingstown: address-based BV waiver: benefit, low. South Kingstown can waive distance rules for a Class BV retailer at 357 Main St (also listed as 23359 Main St, Plat 56-3, Lot 50) after you apply. The approval is tied to that parcel.
- Warren: parcel-based license waiver: benefit, low. Warren can waive distance rules for a Class B retailer at 4 Market St after you apply. The approval is site specific and decided by the board.
- Westerly: address-based license waivers: benefit, low. Westerly can waive distance rules for Class B retailers at named sites after you apply. Examples include 114 Granite St, 163 Main St, and 169 or 177 Main St. Each approval is address specific and decided by the town council.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Samuel W. Bell (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-06-03 | House | ALCOHOLIC -- RETAIL LICENSES PASSAGE IN CONCURRENCE | pass | 63 | 0 |   |
| 2026-04-14 | Senate | RELATING TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES -- RETAIL LICENSES Passage | pass | 32 | 0 |   |

## Actions (15)

- 2026-06-11: Effective without Governor's signature — Chapter 077 (Governor)
- 2026-06-03: Transmitted to Governor (Governor)
- 2026-06-03: House passed in concurrence (House)
- 2026-05-29: Placed on the House Consent Calendar (06/03/2026) (House)
- 2026-05-26: Committee recommends passage in concurrence
- 2026-05-22: Scheduled for consideration (05/26/2026)
- 2026-05-07: Committee transferred to House Municipal Government & Housing (House)
- 2026-04-15: Referred to House Education (House)
- 2026-04-14: Senate read and passed (Senate)
- 2026-04-09: Placed on Senate Calendar (04/14/2026) (Senate)
- 2026-04-08: Committee recommends passage
- 2026-04-03: Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (04/08/2026)
- 2026-03-27: Meeting postponed (04/01/2026)
- 2026-03-27: Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration
- 2026-02-27: Introduced, referred to Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs (Senate)

## Bill text

- S2749 - As Introduced, 2026-02-27: [HTML](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2749.htm), [PDF](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2749.pdf)

## Related bills

- S3047: AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- DISTRICT COURT PRACTICE . (became law)
- H8605: JOINT RESOLUTION MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO PAY CERTAIN CLAIMS . (became law)
- H8586: AN ACT RELATING TO HIGHWAYS -- RHODE ISLAND TURNPIKE AND BRIDGE AUTHORITY . (became law)
- H8580: AN ACT RELATING TO THE NORTH TIVERTON FIRE DISTRICT . (became law)
- H8506: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- RELATING TO CENTRAL FALLS PENSION PLAN . (became law)
- H8525: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- LEVY AND ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL TAXES . (became law)

## Sources
- [S2749 - As Introduced (HTML)](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2749.htm)
- [S2749 - As Introduced (PDF)](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2749.pdf)

## Related
- [S3047: AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- DISTRIC…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-S3047-2026)
- [H8605: JOINT RESOLUTION MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO PAY CERTAIN CLAIMS .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8605-2026)
- [H8586: AN ACT RELATING TO HIGHWAYS -- RHODE ISLAND TURNPIKE AND BRIDGE AUTHORITY .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8586-2026)
- [H8580: AN ACT RELATING TO THE NORTH TIVERTON FIRE DISTRICT .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8580-2026)
- [H8506: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- RELATING TO CENTRAL FALLS PENSION PLAN .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8506-2026)
- [H8525: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- LEVY AND ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL TAXES .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8525-2026)
- [Rhode Island bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/rhode-island/bills)
- [Rhode Island state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/rhode-island)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-S2749-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).