HB 1151
Department of Legislative Services
Maryland General Assembly
2021 Session
FISCAL AND POLICY NOTE
Third Reader - Revised
House Bill 1151 (Howard County Delegation)
Economic Matters Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs
Howard County - Class A Alcoholic Beverages Licenses - Quota by Election
District
Ho. Co. 02-21
This bill modifies the maximum number of Class A licenses of any type that the
Howard County Board of License Commissioners may issue, as specified. The bill must
be construed to apply only prospectively and may not be applied or interpreted to have any
effect on or application to a Class A license issued before the effective date. The bill takes
effect July 1, 2021.
Fiscal Summary
State Effect: None.
Local Effect: Howard County can handle the bill’s requirements with existing resources.
Revenues are not affected, as discussed below.
Small Business Effect: Minimal.
Analysis
Bill Summary: The board may issue up to six Class A licenses in each election district in
the county. The board may issue more than six Class A licenses in any election district
provided that the total number of Class A licenses in any election district does not exceed
one Class A license of any type for every 4,000 residents of the election district.
Current Law: The board may issue one license for every 4,000 residents countywide, as
determined by the latest federal census.
In Howard County, limitations on the number of Class A licenses the board may issue do
not apply to a Class A license issued for use in an existing shopping center (or proposed
shopping center development) for which a building permit has been issued that contains
200,000 or more square feet of commercial retail space.
Local Revenues: The bill sets the maximum number of Class A licenses the board may
issue at six per election district, but also allows the board to exceed that limit as long as the
total number of licenses in a district do not exceed one per every 4,000 residents. In
practice, this means that each election district may have one license per every
4,000 residents as no district in the county has fewer than 24,000 residents. This new
calculation does not materially change the maximum number of Class A licenses that the
board would be able to issue in the county; therefore, Howard County’s Class A license
fee revenues are not anticipated to increase under the bill.
In fiscal 2020, Howard County issued a total of 62 Class A licenses (all of which were
beer, wine, and liquor licenses). The bill applies only prospectively and may not be applied
or interpreted to have any effect on or application to a Class A license issued before the
effective date.
Additional Information
Prior Introductions: None.
Designated Cross File: None.
Information Source(s): Comptroller’s Office; Department of Legislative Services
Fiscal Note History: First Reader - February 18, 2021
rh/tso Third Reader - March 30, 2021
Revised - Amendment(s) - March 30, 2021
Analysis by: Michael E. Sousane Direct Inquiries to:
(410) 946-5510
(301) 970-5510
HB 1151/ Page 2


Statutes affected:
Text - First - Howard County - Class A Alcoholic Beverages Licenses - Quota by Election District Ho. Co. 02-21: 23-102 Alcoholic Beverages, 23-1601 Alcoholic Beverages
Text - Third - Howard County - Class A Alcoholic Beverages Licenses - Quota by Election District Ho. Co. 02-21: 23-102 Alcoholic Beverages, 23-1601 Alcoholic Beverages