(3) Supplying uniforms for the employees of the wholesale licensee.

3.__Limited partnership between certificate of approval holder and wholesale licensee.__Notwithstanding any provision of this Title, a certificate of approval holder or its affiliate or subsidiary may participate as a limited partner in a limited partnership as defined in Title 31, section 402 in which the wholesale licensee is the general partner and may lend money to the partnership and to the general partner.

A.__Notwithstanding the provisions of Title 31, section 433, subsection 1, a certificate of approval holder or its affiliate or subsidiary that participates in a limited partnership pursuant to this subsection may not require as a term or condition to any such partnership agreement that the certificate of approval holder or its affiliate or subsidiary be given any right to participate in the control of the partnership's business.

B.__Notwithstanding the provisions of Title 31, chapter 11, a limited partnership established pursuant to this subsection terminates within 10 years of the date of filing the certificate of limited partnership pursuant to Title 31, section 421.

SUMMARY

Currently, because brewers are not permitted by law to have a financial interest in a wholesaler, brewers cannot provide financing to prospective wholesalers who may have the necessary business expertise but who lack sufficient capital with which to buy a malt liquor distributorship.

This bill allows brewers and wholesalers to form limited partnerships where the brewer would be the limited partner while the wholesaler would be the general partner. Consistent with the Maine Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, only the general partner would be involved in day-to-day management. The bill also provides a 10-year maximum term for any brewer and wholesaler limited partnership.