Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

SB 181
                       Department of Legislative Services
                               Maryland General Assembly
                                     2020 Session
                            FISCAL AND POLICY NOTE
                                  Third Reader
Senate Bill 181               (Senator Carter)
Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs                               Economic Matters
              Baltimore City - Alcoholic Beverages - Class B-D-7 License
This bill clarifies that the hours of sale for a Class B-D-7 license located in the area bounded
by Liberty Heights Avenue, Northern Parkway, Druid Park Drive, and Wabash Avenue are
from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The bill takes effect July 1, 2020.
                                     Fiscal Summary
State Effect: None.
Local Effect: None. The bill is clarifying in nature.
Small Business Effect: None.
                                          Analysis
Current Law: The board may issue a Class B-D-7 license if it determines, upon
consideration of the number of beer, wine, and liquor outlets in the affected area and the
outlets’ days of sale, that the license is reasonably necessary for public convenience. A
Class B-D-7 license authorizes the licensee to sell beer, wine, and liquor for on- and
off-premises consumption.
With specified exceptions, a Class B-D-7 licensee may sell beer, wine, and liquor from
6 a.m. to 2 a.m. the following day. For a Class B-D-7 licensee located in the area bounded
by Liberty Heights Avenue, Northern Parkway, Druid Park Drive, and Wabash Avenue,
the hours of sale are from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Chapter 601 of 2017 specified that the hours of sale for alcoholic beverages licensees
located in the area bounded by Liberty Heights Avenue, Northern Parkway,
Druid Park Drive, and Wabash Avenue (1) may not begin before 9 a.m. or end after 9 p.m.
and (2) may not be extended if they begin later than 9 a.m. or end before 9 p.m.
Chapters 754 and 755 of 2018 (1) exempted specified licensees from the hours of sale
restriction and (2) extended the closing hour of sale to 10 p.m. for the remaining licensees
to which the restriction applied.
Background: According to the Comptroller’s Office, in fiscal 2019, there were
1,208 alcoholic beverages licenses issued in Baltimore City. Baltimore City advises that,
as of December 2019, there were 398 active Class B-D-7 licenses in the city, including
one active Class B-D-7 license in the geographic area affected by the bill.
                                Additional Information
Prior Introductions: None.
Designated Cross File: HB 168 (Delegate Bridges, et al.) - Economic Matters.
Information Source(s): Comptroller’s Office; Baltimore City; Department of Legislative
Services
Fiscal Note History:      First Reader - January 27, 2020
mr/tso                    Third Reader - March 13, 2020
Analysis by: Elizabeth J. Allison                      Direct Inquiries to:
                                                       (410) 946-5510
                                                       (301) 970-5510
SB 181/ Page 2
Statutes affected: 
Text - First - Baltimore City - Alcoholic Beverages - Class B-D-7 License: 12-102 Alcoholic Beverages, 12-905 Alcoholic Beverages, 12-2004 Alcoholic Beverages, 12-2005 Alcoholic Beverages
Text - Third - Baltimore City - Alcoholic Beverages - Class B-D-7 License: 12-102 Alcoholic Beverages, 12-905 Alcoholic Beverages, 12-2004 Alcoholic Beverages, 12-2005 Alcoholic Beverages