The Overview

Massachusetts has authorized nonprofits to hold charity alcohol auctions and obtain temporary licenses for certain alcohol sales. H.5351, titled An Act authorizing charity alcohol auctions, allows local licensing authorities to grant temporary licenses to nonprofit charitable corporations or joint applicants, with proceeds benefiting the charity. Gov. Maura Healey (D-MA) signed the measure Sept. 10. [](#ngr-7b455452-aa50-4c23-8b58-a10373edbdcb)

What the Law Does

H.5351 authorizes local licensing authorities to grant temporary on-premise consumption licenses to nonprofit charities or joint applicants. Nonprofit charitable corporations may receive temporary licenses to sell donated alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption, with all proceeds used for the organization's charitable purposes. Certain joint applicants consisting of a nonprofit and an existing alcohol licensee may also receive temporary licenses, with a majority of the proceeds required to support the nonprofit's charitable purposes.

The law also allows nonprofit charitable corporations to obtain temporary licenses to auction donated alcoholic beverages for off-premises consumption. Each auction license may be valid for no more than 10 consecutive calendar days, and a nonprofit may receive no more than five such licenses in a calendar year.

H.5351 was substituted for H.442 on April 8 and passed to be engrossed by the House the same day. It was read and referred to the Senate Rules Committee on April 9. The Senate later amended the bill, and the final legislation was approved by Healey on Sept. 10 as Chapter 213 of the Acts of 2026.

By the Numbers

Massachusetts has an estimated population of 7.2 million, a median household income of $103,960 and a poverty rate of 9.7%. About 47.3% of residents age 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and 92.8% of households have a broadband internet subscription. The state's unemployment rate was 4.3% in August.

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This article was generated by AI pulling from data. Each article is edited by an editor for accuracy and clarity.

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