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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1303*
HOUSE BILL 1303
A1 6lr2842
HB 1379/25 – ECM
By: Delegates Amprey, Boafo, Ruff, Solomon, and Spiegel
Introduced and read first time: February 12, 2026
Assigned to: Economic Matters
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Alcoholic Beverages – Class A License – Retail Establishments 2
(Alcoholic Beverages Modernization Act of 2026) 3
FOR the purpose of authorizing certain establishments that operate as a food retailer, 4
pharmacy, or retail service station to offer to purchase a Class A license from a Class 5
A license holder under certain circumstances; authorizing the retail establishments 6
to apply to a local licensing board for a Class A license under certain circumstances; 7
and generally relating to Class A alcoholic beverages licenses for retail 8
establishments that operate as a food retailer, pharmacy, or retail service station. 9
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 10
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 11
Section 4–205 and 4–303 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 14
BY adding to 15
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 16
Section 4–205.1 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
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 22
4–205. 23
(a) This section does not apply to: 24
2 HOUSE BILL 1303
(1) an establishment that already holds a Class A, Class B, or Class D beer 1
license, beer and wine license, or beer, wine, and liquor license; or 2
(2) a license holder that sells alcoholic beverages at discount prices. 3
(b) [A] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN § 4–205.1 OF THIS SUBTITLE , A local 4
licensing board may not issue a Class A, Class B, or Class D beer license, beer and wine 5
license, or beer, wine, and liquor license for use in conjunction with or on the premises of: 6
(1) a chain store; 7
(2) a supermarket; or 8
(3) a discount house. 9
4–205.1. 10
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 11
INDICATED. 12
(2) “FOOD RETAILER” MEANS A RETAIL ESTABLISHMENT THAT: 13
(I) OFFERS FOR SALE FOOD PRODUCTS IN AT LEAST FIVE OF 14
THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES: 15
1. FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES; 16
2. FRESH AND UNCOOKED M EAT, POULTRY, AND 17
SEAFOOD; 18
3. DAIRY PRODUCTS; 19
4. CANNED FOODS; 20
5. FROZEN FOODS; AND 21
6. DRY GROCERIES AND BAKED GOODS; 22
(II) ACCEPTS SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE 23
PROGRAM CREDITS AS PAYMENT FOR FOOD AND BEVERAGES; AND 24
(III) HAS A MINIMUM OF 4,000 SQUARE FEET. 25
(3) “RETAIL ESTABLISHMENT” MEANS AN ESTABLISHMENT THAT: 26
HOUSE BILL 1303 3
(I) 1. IS A FOOD RETAILER; 1
2. IS A PHARMACY OPERATED BY A PERSON THAT HOLDS 2
A PHARMACY PERMIT ISSUED BY THE STATE BOARD OF PHARMACY UNDER § 12–401 3
OF THE HEALTH OCCUPATIONS ARTICLE; OR 4
3. IS A RETAIL SERVICE STATION THAT SELLS GASOLINE 5
AND DIESEL FUEL OR H AS ON –SITE ELECTRIC CHARGI NG CAPABILITI ES FOR A 6
MINIMUM OF SIX MOTOR VEHICLES SIMULTANEOUSLY; AND 7
(II) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN DIVISION II OF THIS ARTICLE, HAS 8
A PRIMARY ENTRANCEWAY THAT IS AT LEAST: 9
1. 300 FEET FROM THE NEAREST POINT OF A PLACE O F 10
WORSHIP OR SCHOOL; AND 11
2. 100 FEET FROM ANY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY NOT 12
LOCATED IN THE SAME BUILDING OR STRUCTURE AS THE RETAIL ESTABLISHMENT. 13
(B) (1) A RETAIL ESTABLISHMENT LOCATED LESS THAN 3,000 FEET 14
FROM A CLASS A LICENSE HOLDER MAY OFFER TO PURCHASE THE CLASS A LICENSE 15
FROM THE LICENSE HOLDER. 16
(2) A RETAIL ESTABLISHMENT THAT OBTAINS A LICEN SE IN 17
ACCORDANCE WITH PARA GRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION S HALL CONVERT THE 18
LICENSE, IF NECESSARY, TO A CLASS A BEER, CLASS A BEER AND WINE, OR CLASS 19
A BEER AND LIGHT WINE LICENSE, REGARDLESS OF THE TYPE OF CLASS A LICENSE 20
THAT WAS PURCHASED. 21
(C) (1) IF A LICENSE HOLDER D OES NOT ACCEPT A RET AIL 22
ESTABLISHMENT’S OFFER, THE RETAIL ESTABLISHMENT MAY APPLY TO THE LOCAL 23
LICENSING BOARD FOR A CLASS A BEER OR CLASS A BEER AND WINE LICENS E IN 24
ACCORDANCE WITH THE LOCAL LICENSING BOARD’S RULES. 25
(2) DEPENDING ON THE TYPE S OF LICENSES AVAILA BLE IN THE 26
JURISDICTION, THE LOCAL LICENSING BOARD SHALL ISSUE TO THE RETAIL 27
ESTABLISHMENT: 28
(I) A CLASS A BEER LICENSE; 29
(II) A CLASS A BEER AND WINE LICENSE; OR 30
4 HOUSE BILL 1303
(III) A CLASS A BEER AND LIGHT WINE LICENSE. 1
(D) AN APPLICATION FOR A CLASS A BEER OR CLASS A BEER AND WINE 2
LICENSE SUBMITTED BY A RETAIL ESTABLISHMENT: 3
(1) IS PRESUMED TO BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY; 4
AND 5
(2) MAY NOT BE DENIED FO R ANY REASON OTHER THAN A REASON 6
TRADITIONALLY CONSIDERED BY A LOCAL LICENSING BOARD. 7
(E) A HOLDER OF A LICENSE ISSUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS SECTION 8
OR AN EMPLOYEE DESIGNATED BY THE HOLDER SHALL COMPLETE TRAINING IN AN 9
APPROVED ALCOHOL AWARENESS PROGRAM IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 4–505 OF THIS 10
TITLE. 11
(F) A HOLDER OF A LICENSE ISSUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS SECTION: 12
(1) SHALL EMPLOY SWORN S ECURITY PERSONNEL FO R THE PUBLIC 13
AREA OF THE STORE DEDICATED TO THE SALE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; 14
(2) MAY SELL ALCOHOL IC BEVERAGES BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 9 15
A.M. AND 8 P.M., MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY; AND 16
(3) MAY NOT: 17
(I) SELL ALCOHOLIC BEVER AGES BY MEANS OF A 18
SELF–SCANNING CASH REGISTER OR OTHER AUTOMATED SYSTEM THAT IS: 19
1. CAPABLE OF RECOVERIN G STORED INFORMA TION 20
RELATED TO THE SALE PRICE OF INDIVIDUAL RETAIL ITEMS; AND 21
2. OPERATED ON A SELF –SERVICE BASIS BY A 22
CUSTOMER; 23
(II) DELIVER ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; 24
(III) SELL INDIVIDUAL CANS OR BOTTLES OF MIXED COCKTAILS 25
OR MALT BEVERAGES THAT ARE 40 OUNCES OR LESS; OR 26
(IV) POST ANY SIGNS ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE ESTABLISHMENT 27
OR IN THE AREA DEDIC ATED TO THE SALE OF BEER AND WINE THAT A DVERTISE 28
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES. 29
HOUSE BILL 1303 5
4–303. 1
[A] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN § 4–205.1 OF THIS TITLE , A Class A, Class B, or 2
Class D beer license, beer and wine license, or beer, wine, and liquor license may not be 3
transferred for use in conjunction with or on the premises of a chain store, supermarket, or 4
discount house unless: 5
(1) the establishment alr eady holds a Class A, Class B, or Class D beer 6
license, beer and wine license, or beer, wine, and liquor license; or 7
(2) the license is transferred to a similar type of establishment. 8
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 9
1, 2026. 10