EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
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SENATE BILL 618
A2 2lr1825
CF 2lr3122
By: Senator McCray
Introduced and read first time: February 2, 2022
Assigned to: Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Baltimore City – Alcoholic Beverages – Sales in Grocery Stores and 2
Supermarkets – Referendum 3
FOR the purpose of authorizing the Board of License Commissioners for Baltimore City to 4
issue a Class A beer and light wine license to a grocery store, chain store, 5
supermarket, or discount house; submitting this Act to a referendum of the qualified 6
voters of Baltimore City; and generally relating to alcoholic beverages in Baltimore 7
City. 8
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 9
Article – Alcoholic Beverages 10
Section 12–102 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2016 Volume and 2021 Supplement) 13
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 14
Article – Alcoholic Beverages 15
Section 12–801, 12–1501, and 12–2003(a) 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2016 Volume and 2021 Supplement) 18
BY adding to 19
Article – Alcoholic Beverages 20
Section 12–1510 21
Annotated Code of Maryland 22
(2016 Volume and 2021 Supplement) 23
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 24
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 25
Article – Alcoholic Beverages 26 2 SENATE BILL 618
12–102. 1
This title applies only in Baltimore City. 2
12–801. 3
(a) There is a Class A beer and light wine license. 4
(b) THE LICENSE MAY BE IS SUED TO A GROCERY STORE , CHAIN STORE, 5
SUPERMARKET , OR DISCOUNT HOUSE . 6
(C) (1) The license authorizes the license holder to sell beer and light wine, at 7
retail, at the place described in the license. 8
(2) The license holder shall sell the beer and light wine in a sealed package 9
or container. 10
(3) The package or container may not be opened and its contents may not 11
be consumed on the premises where the beer or light wine is sold. 12
[(c)] (D) The annual license fee is $110. 13
12–1501. 14
(a) The following sections of Title 4, Subtitle 2 (“Issuance or Denial of Local 15
Licenses”) of Division I of this article apply in the City without exception or variation: 16
(1) [§ 4–205 (“Chain store, supermarket, or discount house”); 17
(2)] § 4–206 (“Limitations on retail sales floor space”); 18
[(3)] (2) § 4–207 (“Licenses issued to minors”); 19
[(4)] (3) § 4–209 (“Hearing”); 20
[(5)] (4) § 4–210 (“Approval or denial of license application”); 21
[(6)] (5) § 4–211 (“License forms; effective date; expiration”); 22
[(7)] (6) § 4–212 (“License not property”); and 23
[(8)] (7) § 4–213 (“Replacement licenses”). 24
SENATE BILL 618 3
(b) THE FOLLOWING SECTION S OF TITLE 4, SUBTITLE 2 (“ISSUANCE OR 1
DENIAL OF LOCAL LICENSES”) OF DIVISION I OF THIS ARTICLE DO N OT APPLY IN 2
THE CITY: 3
(1) § 4–205 (“CHAIN STORE, SUPERMARKET , OR DISCOUNT HOUSE ”) 4
AND IS SUPERSEDED BY § 12–1510 OF THIS SUBTITLE ; AND 5
(2) [Section] § 4–214 (“Waiting periods after denial of license applications”) 6
[of Division I of this article does not apply in the City] and is superseded by § 12–1507 of 7
this subtitle. 8
(c) The following sections of Title 4, Subtitle 2 (“Issuance or Denial of Local 9
Licenses”) of Division I of this article apply in the City: 10
(1) § 4–202 (“Authority of local licensing boards”), subject to §§ 12–1502 11
and 12–1503 of this subtitle; 12
(2) § 4–203 (“Prohibition against issuing multiple licenses to individual or 13
for use of entity”), subject to §§ 12–1504 and 12–1505 of this subtitle and Subtitle 13, Part 14
III and Subtitle 16, Part II of this title; 15
(3) § 4–204 (“Prohibition against issuing multiple licenses for same 16
premises”), subject to § 12–1505 of this subtitle and Subtitle 13, Part III of this title; and 17
(4) § 4–208 (“Notice of license application required”), subject to § 12–1506 18
of this subtitle. 19
12–1510. 20
AS PROVIDED IN § 12–801 OF THIS TITLE, THE BOARD MAY ISSUE A CLASS A 21
BEER AND LIGHT WINE LICENSE TO A GROCERY STORE, CHAIN STORE , 22
SUPERMARKET , OR DISCOUNT HOUSE . 23
12–2003. 24
(a) (1) (I) Except as provided in PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION 25
AND § 12–2005 of this subtitle, a holder of a Class A beer and light wine license may sell 26
beer and light wine: 27
[(i)] 1. on Monday through Saturday: 28
[1.] A. from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. in the area specified in the 29
Park Heights Master Plan adopted by the City in 2006; and 30
[2.] B. from 6 a.m. to midnight in all other locations in the 31
City; and 32 4 SENATE BILL 618
[(ii)] 2. On the Sundays that fall between Thanksgiving Day and 1
New Year’s Day, from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., if, on or before September 30 of that year, the license 2
holder has paid a supplementary license fee of $75 for each Sunday the privilege is to be 3
exercised. 4
[(2)] (II) In addition to the privileges specified under paragraph [(1)(ii)] 5
(1)(I)2 of this subsection, the license holder may sell beer and light wine for off–premises 6
consumption on two additional Sundays during the calendar year if the holder pays a 7
license fee of $75 at least 2 weeks before each time the privilege is exercised. 8
(2) (I) A HOLDER OF A CLASS A BEER AND LIGHT WINE LICENSE 9
ISSUED TO A GROCERY STORE , CHAIN STORE, SUPERMARKET , OR DISCOUNT HOUSE 10
MAY SELL BEER AND LI GHT WINE ON MONDAY THROUGH SUNDAY FROM 10 A.M. TO 11
MIDNIGHT. 12
(II) IF THE LICENSE HOLDER IS OPEN ANYTIME OUTSIDE THE 13
HOURS OF SALE AUTHORIZED UNDER SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH , THE 14
LICENSE HOLDER SHALL KEEP ALL ALCOHOLIC B EVERAGES ON THE PREM ISES THAT 15
ARE STORED IN AREAS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC I N A SEPARATE BEVERAG E 16
DEPARTMENT THAT IS S ECURELY CLOSED AND L OCKED FROM MIDNIGHT TO 10 A.M. 17
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That before this Act becomes 18
effective, it first shall be submitted to a referendum of the qualified voters of Baltimore City 19
at the general election to be held in November 2022. The Mayor, City Council, and 20
Baltimore City Board of Elections shall do those things necessary and proper to provide for 21
and hold the referendum required by this section. If a majority of the votes cast on the 22
question are “For the referred law” this Act shall become effective on the 30th day following 23
the official canvass of votes for the referendum, but if a majority of the votes cast on the 24
question are “Against the referred law” this Act, with no further action required by the 25
General Assembly, shall be null and void. 26
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, subject to the provisions of 27
Section 2 of this Act and for the sole purpose of providing for the referendum required by 28
Section 2 of this Act, this Act shall take effect July 1, 2022. 29