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.
*hb0987*
HOUSE BILL 987
A2 5lr2923
CF SB 999
By: Delegates Mangione, Forbes, Nawrocki, and Szeliga Baltimore County
Delegation
Introduced and read first time: January 31, 2025
Assigned to: Economic Matters
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 6, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Baltimore County – Alcoholic Beverages – Distance From Place of Worship 2
Restriction – Exception Class B–OB–CRD (Office Building – Commercial 3
Revitalization District) Beer, Wine, and Liquor License 4
FOR the purpose of establishing a Class B–OB–CRD (office building – commercial 5
revitalization district) beer, wine, and liquor license in Baltimore County; 6
authorizing the Board of License Commissioners for Baltimore County to issue a 7
beer, wine, and liquor the license to an establishment that previously had or has a 8
certain zoning classification and is within a certain distance of at least a certain 9
distance from a place of worship under certain circumstances and subject to certain 10
limitations; providing a certain exception to a prohibition against issuing the license 11
for an establishment that is within a certain distance of a place of worship; and 12
generally relating to alcoholic beverages licenses in Baltimore County. 13
BY renumbering 14
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 15
Section 13–1001.1 16
to be Section 13–1001.2 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2024 Replacement Volume) 19
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 20
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 21
Section 13–102 22 2 HOUSE BILL 987
Annotated Code of Maryland 1
(2024 Replacement Volume) 2
BY adding to 3
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 4
Section 13–1001.1 5
Annotated Code of Maryland 6
(2024 Replacement Volume) 7
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 8
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 9
Section 13–1601 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2024 Replacement Volume) 12
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That Section(s) 13–1001.1 of Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis of the Annotated 14
Code of Maryland be renumbered to be Section(s) 13–1001.2. 15
SECTION 1. 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 16
OF MARYLAND , That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 17
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 18
13–102. 19
This title applies only in Baltimore County. 20
13–1001.1. 21
(A) (1) THERE IS A CLASS B–OB–CRD (OFFICE BUILDING – 22
COMMERCIAL REVITALIZ ATION DISTRICT) BEER, WINE, AND LIQUOR LICENSE . 23
(2) THE BOARD MAY NOT ISSUE M ORE THAN ONE CLASS B–OB–CRD 24
LICENSE IN THE COUNT Y. 25
(B) (1) THE CLASS B–OB–CRD LICENSE MAY BE ISSUE D ONLY FOR A 26
RESTAURANT THAT : 27
(I) IS LOCATED IN: 28
1. THE TOWSON COMMERCIAL REVITALIZATION 29
DISTRICT, AS DEFINED BY THE BALTIMORE COUNTY COUNCIL; AND 30
2. AN OFFICE BUILDING T HAT IS AT LEAST 100,000 31
SQUARE FEET IN SIZE ; 32 HOUSE BILL 987 3
(II) PREVIOUSLY HAD OR HA S A ZONING CLASSIFIC ATION OF 1
BM–D.T. BY THE COUNTY GOVERN MENT; AND 2
(III) IS AT LEAST 100 FEET FROM A PLACE OF WORSHIP. 3
(2) THE CLASS B–OB–CRD LICENSE AUTHORIZES T HE HOLDER TO 4
SELL: 5
(I) BEER, WINE, AND LIQUOR FOR ON –PREMISES 6
CONSUMPTION ; AND 7
(II) WINE FOR OFF–PREMISES CO NSUMPTION IF THE WIN E: 8
1. IS PURCHASED ALONG W ITH PREPARED FOOD OT HER 9
THAN PREPACKAGED SNA CKS; AND 10
2. IS NOT DISPLAYED IN AN AREA ACCESSIBLE T O THE 11
PUBLIC. 12
(C) THE NUMBER OF SEATS A T THE BAR ON THE LIC ENSED PREMISES MAY 13
NOT EXCEED 25% OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SEAT S ON THE LICENSED PR EMISES. 14
(D) THE LICENSE HOLDER MA Y SELL BEER, WINE, AND LIQUOR DURING TH E 15
HOURS AND DAYS AS SE T OUT FOR A CLASS B BEER, WINE, AND LIQUOR LICENSE 16
UNDER § 13–2004 OF THIS TITLE. 17
(E) THE ANNUAL LICENSE FE E IS EQUAL TO THE FEE FOR A CLASS B BEER, 18
WINE, AND LIQUOR LICENSE U NDER § 13–902 OF THIS TITLE. 19
13–1601. 20
(a) (1) Except as provided in [subsection] SUBSECTIONS (b) AND (C) of this 21
section, the Board may not issue a license for an establishment that is within 300 feet of a 22
place of worship or school. 23
(2) The distance from the establishment to the place of worship or school is 24
to be measured from the nearest point of the building of the establishment to the nearest 25
point of the building of the place of worship or school. 26
(b) The prohibition against issuing a license in subsection (a) of this section does 27
not apply to: 28
(1) the renewal or transfer of a license of an establishment if, after issuance 29
of the license, a place of worship or school was built within 300 feet of the establishment; 30 4 HOUSE BILL 987
(2) the issuance of a temporary license; 1
(3) a transfer that moves the licensed premises within the same building; 2
(4) a transfer of ownership of the licensed premises; 3
(5) the renewal of a Class B beer, wine, and liquor (on–sale) license or a 4
7–day Class BDR (deluxe restaurant) (on–sale) beer, wine, and liquor license, if the licensed 5
premises has a seating capacity of more than 50 individuals and is within a town center; or 6
(6) the transfer, conversion, and issuance of a license under § 13–1710 of 7
this title; OR 8
(7) THE ISSUANCE OF A LI CENSE UNDER § 13–1001.1 OF THIS TITLE 9
FOR AN ESTABLISHMENT WITHIN 300 FEET OF A PLACE OF W ORSHIP, IF THE PLACE 10
OF WORSHIP CONSENTS IN WRITING TO THE IS SUANCE OF THE LICENSE. 11
(C) THE PROHIBITION AGAIN ST ISSUING A LICENSE IN SUBSECTION (A) OF 12
THIS SECTION DOES NO T APPLY TO THE ISSUA NCE OF A BEER, WINE, AND LIQUOR 13
LICENSE FOR ON – OR OFF–PREMISES CONSUMPTION FOR AN ESTABLISHMENT THAT 14
IS WITHIN 300 FEET OF A PLACE OF W ORSHIP IF: 15
(1) THE ESTABLISHMENT IS LOCATED IN THE TOWSON AREA , AS 16
DETERMINED BY THE BOARD; 17
(2) THE ESTABLISHMENT IS LOCATED IN AN OFFICE BUILDING THAT 18
IS AT LEAST 100,000 SQUARE FEET IN SIZE ; 19
(3) THE ESTABLISHMENT HA S A ZONING CLASSIFIC ATION OF 20
BM–D.T. BY THE COUNTY GOVERN MENT; 21
(4) THE PLACE OF WORSHIP CONSENTS IN WRITING TO THE ISSUANCE 22
OF THE LICENSE; AND 23
(5) (I) THE LICENSE IS TO AP PLY TO A RESTAURANT , A MARKET, OR 24
ANOTHER SIMILAR ESTA BLISHMENT; AND 25
(II) THE LICENSE IS NOT A CLASS A LICENSE. 26
SECTION 2. 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 27
July 1, 2025. 28