HB0727 • 2026

Anne Arundel County - Alcoholic Beverages - Class C (Veterans' Organization) Licenses - Membership

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Delegates Rogers , Behler , Chang , Chisholm , Howard , D. Jones , Kipke , Nkongolo , Pruski , Schmidt , and Simmons
Last action: 2026-05-26
Official status: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 819
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about keeping other requirements such as having a charter from a national group and meeting membership numbers, so this statement is based on inference rather than explicit support.

Changing Membership Rules for Veterans' Organizations in Anne Arundel County

This law changes the membership requirements for veterans' organizations that want to get a special license to sell alcohol in Anne Arundel County.

What This Bill Does

Changes the rules so that members of certain government groups like NOAA and Public Health Service can join veterans' organizations with this special license.
Removes the need for members to have served in war to be part of these organizations.
Keeps other requirements, such as having a charter from a national group and meeting membership numbers.

Who It Names or Affects

Veterans’ organizations in Anne Arundel County that want to get this special license.
Members of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Public Health Service who can now join these veterans' groups.

Terms To Know

Class C (Veterans’ Organization) License: A special permit that allows certain organizations to sell alcohol for members and guests at their events in Anne Arundel County.
Uniformed Services: Refers to all branches of the U.S. military, including active duty, reserve, and National Guard members.

Limits and Unknowns

The law only applies in Anne Arundel County.
It does not change other types of alcohol licenses or rules for selling alcohol outside these organizations.

Bill History

2026-05-26 Post Passage
Approved by the Governor - Chapter 819
2026-03-30 Senate
Favorable Report by Finance
2026-03-20 House
Favorable Report by Government, Labor, and Elections
2026-03-20 House
Returned Passed
2026-03-17 Senate
Third Reading Passed (46-0)
2026-03-13 Senate
Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed
2026-03-09 House
Third Reading Passed (126-0)
2026-03-07 House
Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed
2026-03-06 Senate
Referred Finance
2026-02-13 House
Hearing 2/23 at 1:00 p.m.
2026-02-02 House
First Reading Government, Labor, and Elections
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Anne Arundel County - Alcoholic Beverages - Class C (Veterans' Organization) Licenses - Membership
Maryland General Assembly
Vote - House - Committee - Government, Labor, and Elections
Maryland General Assembly
Text - Third - Anne Arundel County - Alcoholic Beverages - Class C (Veterans' Organization) Licenses - Membership
Maryland General Assembly
Vote - Senate - Committee - Finance
Maryland General Assembly
Text - Chapter - Anne Arundel County - Alcoholic Beverages - Class C (Veterans' Organization) Licenses - Membership

Official Summary Text

Altering membership criteria for a Class C (veterans' organization) alcoholic beverages license in Anne Arundel County by including certain members of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Public Health Service, and repealing a requirement that members of the veterans' organization served in a war; etc.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING 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.
*hb0727*

HOUSE BILL 727
A2 6lr2970
CF SB 76
By: Delegates Rogers, Behler, Chang, Chisholm, Howard, D. Jones, Kipke,
Nkongolo, Pruski, Schmidt, and Simmons
Introduced and read first time: February 2, 2026
Assigned to: Government, Labor, and Elections
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 7, 2026

CHAPTER ______

AN ACT concerning 1

Anne Arundel County – Alcoholic Beverages – Class C (Veterans’ Organization) 2
Licenses – Membership 3

FOR the purpose of altering the membership criteria for a Class C (veterans’ organization) 4
alcoholic beverages license in Anne Arundel County to include certain members of 5
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Public Health 6
Service; repealing a requirement that members of the veterans’ organization served 7
in a war; and generally relating to alcoholic beverages licenses in Anne Arundel 8
County. 9

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 10
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 11
Section 11–102 and 11–1009(a) and (c) 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 14

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 15
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 16
Section 11–1009(b) 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 19

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 20
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 21
2 HOUSE BILL 727

Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 1

11–102. 2

This title applies only in Anne Arundel County. 3

11–1009. 4

(a) There is a Class C (veterans’ organization) license. 5

(b) The Board shall issue the license for use by a local unit of a nationwide 6
nonprofit organization or club that: 7

(1) is composed only of members who served in the [armed forces of the 8
United States in a war in which the United States has been engaged ] UNIFORMED 9
SERVICES; 10

(2) has a charter from a national veterans’ organization th at was granted 11
before the application for the license was made; 12

(3) has a bona fide membership of at least 100 individuals and dues of at 13
least $5 per year per individual; and 14

(4) operates for its members and meets in a clubhouse principally used for 15
its members. 16

(c) (1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, the license authorizes the 17
license holder to sell beer, wine, and liquor at retail at the place described in the license for 18
on–premises consumption, including: 19

(i) during an event held on the licensed premises; and 20

(ii) to a member of the veterans’ organization or a guest of the 21
member. 22

(2) If the license holder hosts an event for an outside group, the outside 23
group shall obtain a Class C per diem beer, wine, and liquor license from the Board. 24

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 25
1, 2026. 26