EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0568*
HOUSE BILL 568
A2 5lr2670
CF 5lr2683
By: Dorchester County Delegation
Introduced and read first time: January 23, 2025
Assigned to: Economic Matters
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Dorchester County – Alcoholic Beverages – Issuance of License Near a Place of 2
Worship or School 3
FOR the purpose of authorizing the Board of License Commissioners for Dorchester County 4
to issue an alcoholic beverages license to an establishment that is within a certain 5
distance of a place of worship or school with the written consent of the place of 6
worship or school; and generally relating to alcoholic beverages licenses in 7
Dorchester County. 8
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 9
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 10
Section 19–102 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2024 Replacement Volume) 13
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 14
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 15
Section 19–1601 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2024 Replacement Volume) 18
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 19
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 20
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 21
19–102. 22
This title applies only in Dorchester County. 23
19–1601. 24 2 HOUSE BILL 568
(a) (1) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, the Board may not 1
issue a new license for an establishment that is within 300 feet in a direct line of a place of 2
worship or a public or nonpublic kindergarten, elementary, or secondary school. 3
(2) The distance from the establishment to the place of worship or the 4
public or nonpublic kindergarten, elementary, or secondary school is to be measured from 5
the establishment in a direct line to the nearest point of the main building of the place of 6
worship or school. 7
(b) The prohibition against issuing a license in subsection (a) of this section does 8
not apply to the issuance of: 9
(1) a license for a premises that was licensed on October 1, 1996; 10
(2) a Class B (on–sale) beer, wine, and liquor license for a premises in 11
Cambridge, Secretary, or Hurlock; [or] 12
(3) a temporary license; OR 13
(4) A LICENSE IF THE BOARD RECEIVES WRITTE N CONSENT TO THE 14
ISSUANCE OF THE LICE NSE FROM EACH PLACE OF WORSHIP OR SCHOOL LOCATED 15
WITHIN 300 FEET IN A DIRECT LINE OF THE ESTABLISHMENT FOR WHICH THE 16
LICENSE IS SOUGHT . 17
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 18
1, 2025. 19