EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0567*
HOUSE BILL 567
A2 5lr2662
CF SB 800
By: Dorchester County Delegation
Introduced and read first time: January 23, 2025
Assigned to: Economic Matters
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 7, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Dorchester County – Alcoholic Beverages – Arts Beer and Wine License 2
FOR the purpose of establishing in Dorchester County an arts beer and wine license that 3
authorizes the holder to sell or serve beer and wine for on–premises consumption; 4
authorizing the Board of License Commissioners for Dorchester County to issue the 5
license to a nonprofit or for–profit retail business that engages in the display and 6
sale of original artwork in a certain arts and entertainment district; authorizing the 7
Board to issue the license to an establishment that is within a certain distance of a 8
place of worship or school with the written consent of the place of worship or school; 9
and generally relating to alcoholic beverages in Dorchester County. 10
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 11
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 12
Section 19–102 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2024 Replacement Volume) 15
BY adding to 16
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 17
Section 19–1001 18
Annotated Code of Maryland 19
(2024 Replacement Volume) 20
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 21
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 22 2 HOUSE BILL 567
Section 19–1601 1
Annotated Code of Maryland 2
(2024 Replacement Volume) 3
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 4
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 5
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 6
19–102. 7
This title applies only in Dorchester County. 8
19–1001. 9
(A) THERE IS AN ARTS BEER AND WINE LICENSE . 10
(B) (1) THE BOARD MAY ISSUE THE L ICENSE TO A NONPROFI T OR 11
FOR–PROFIT RETAIL BUSINE SS, INCLUDING AN ART CEN TER, AN ART GALLERY , A 12
MUSEUM, OR A SIMILAR BUSINESS T HAT IS PRIMARILY DEV OTED TO ART THAT 13
EXPRESSES MATTERS OF SERIOUS LITERARY , ARTISTIC, SCIENTIFIC, OR POLITICAL 14
VALUE, THAT: 15
(I) ENGAGES IN THE DISPL AY AND SALE OF ORIGI NAL 16
ARTWORK; AND 17
(II) IS LOCATED IN AN ART S AND ENTERTAINME NT DISTRICT 18
APPROVED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. 19
(2) THE BOARD MAY NOT ISSUE T HE LICENSE TO A BUSI NESS THAT 20
DISPLAYS AND SELLS C OMMERCIALLY PREPARED OR MASS–PRODUCED ARTISTIC 21
PRODUCTS. 22
(3) THE LICENSE HOLDER MA Y SELL OR SERVE BEER AND WINE: 23
(I) AT RETAIL FOR ON –PREMISES CONSUMPTION WHEN 24
SNACKS ARE SERVED ; AND 25
(II) ON MONDAY THROUGH SUNDAY, DURING NORMAL 26
BUSINESS HOURS BUT N OT EARLIER THAN 10 A.M. AND NOT LATER THAN 10 P.M. 27
(4) THE LICENSE MAY NOT B E TRANSFERRED FROM T HE LOCATION 28
FOR WHICH THE LICENSE WAS ORIGINALLY ISSUED TO ANOTHER LOCATION . 29
(C) THE ANNUAL LICENSE FE E IS $250. 30 HOUSE BILL 567 3
(D) THE BOARD MAY ADOPT REGUL ATIONS TO CARRY OUT THIS SECTION. 1
19–1601. 2
(a) (1) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, the Board may not 3
issue a new license for an establishment that is within 300 feet in a direct line of a place of 4
worship or a public or nonpublic kindergarten, elementary, or secondary school. 5
(2) The distance from the establishment to the place of worship or the 6
public or nonpublic kindergarten, elementary, or secondary school is to be measured from 7
the establishment in a direct line to the nearest point of the main building of the place of 8
worship or school. 9
(b) The prohibition against issuing a license in subsection (a) of this section does 10
not apply to the issuance of: 11
(1) a license for a premises that was licensed on October 1, 1996; 12
(2) a Class B (on–sale) beer, wine, and liquor license for a premises in 13
Cambridge, Secretary, or Hurlock; [or] 14
(3) a temporary license; OR 15
(4) AN ARTS BEER AND WIN E LICENSE IF THE BOARD RECEIVES 16
WRITTEN CONSENT TO T HE ISSUANCE OF THE L ICENSE FROM EACH PLA CE OF 17
WORSHIP OR SCHOOL LO CATED WITHIN 300 FEET IN A DIRECT LIN E OF THE 18
ESTABLISHMENT FOR WH ICH THE LICENSE IS SOUGHT. 19
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 20
1, 2025. 21
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.