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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1498*
HOUSE BILL 1498
A2 6lr1900
By: Wicomico County Delegation
Introduced and read first time: February 13, 2026
Assigned to: Government, Labor, and Elections
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Wicomico County – Class A Beer, Wine, and Liquor License – Alterations 2
FOR the purpose of prohibiting the Board of License Commissioners for Wicomico County 3
from issuing a Class A beer, wine, and liquor license to a certain establishment with 4
retail floor space of more than a certain number of square feet; prohibiting the Board 5
from issuing a Class A beer, wine, and liquor license for use at certain restaurants, 6
subject to certain grandfather provisions ; clarifying that the prohibition against 7
issuing multiple licenses to an individual or for use by an entity does not apply to 8
the issuance of a Class A beer, wine, and liquor license for use at certain restaurants; 9
prohibiting the Board from issuing more than a certain number of Class A beer, wine, 10
and liquor license s in a councilmanic district; and generally relating to alcoholic 11
beverages licenses in Wicomico County. 12
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 13
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 14
Section 32–102 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 17
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 18
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 19
Section 32–901 and 32–1502 20
Annotated Code of Maryland 21
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 22
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 23
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 24
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 25
32–102. 26
2 HOUSE BILL 1498
This title applies only in Wicomico County. 1
32–901. 2
(a) IN THIS SECTION , “RETAIL FLOOR SPACE ” MEANS THE AREA OF AN 3
ESTABLISHMENT WHERE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND OTHER ITEMS ARE 4
DISPLAYED FOR SALE AND SOLD. 5
(B) There is a Class A beer, wine, and liquor license. 6
[(b)] (C) (1) (I) [A] BEFORE JULY 1, 2026, A license may be issued only 7
to an establishment that has been: 8
[(i)] 1. issued a Class B license; and 9
[(ii)] 2. continually operating as a restaurant in the county since 10
at least 3 months before the application for the license. 11
(II) ON OR AFTER JULY 1, 2026, A LICENSE: 12
1. MAY NOT BE ISSUED TO AN ESTABLISHMENT THAT HAS 13
BEEN ISSUED A CLASS B LICENSE; AND 14
2. MAY BE RENEWED FOR AN ESTABLISHMENT THAT HAS 15
A CLASS B LICENSE THAT WAS ISSUED BEFORE JULY 1, 2026. 16
(2) The Board may not issue a license to an establishment that is a 17
corporation or limited liability company unless the license applicant owns 75% of the total 18
issued capital stock of the corporation or the limited liability company. 19
(3) The Board may issue: 20
(I) NOT MORE THAN ONE LI CENSE IN A COUNCILMA NIC 21
DISTRICT; AND 22
(II) not more than A TOTAL OF three licenses in the county. 23
(4) THE BOARD MAY NOT ISSUE A LICE NSE TO AN ESTABLISHM ENT 24
WITH RETAIL FLOOR SPACE OF MORE THAN 3,500 SQUARE FEET. 25
[(c)] (D) (1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, the license authorizes 26
the license holder to sell beer, wine, and liquor, at retail at the place described in the 27
application, for off–premises consumption. 28
HOUSE BILL 1498 3
(2) [The] FOR A LICENSE ISSUED TO A CLASS B LICENSE HOLDER 1
BEFORE JULY 1, 2026, THE place described in the application: 2
(i) may not exceed 20% of the area normally used in the operati on 3
of the restaurant business; and 4
(ii) shall be contiguous to and adjoin the restaurant establishment. 5
[(d)] (E) The license may not be issued for a drugstore unless the applicant: 6
(1) has been doing business at the location applied for in the license for at 7
least 1 year before the date of the application for the license; 8
(2) is the assignee of a business established for at least 1 year before the 9
date of the application for the license at the location applied for; or 10
(3) has been engaged in the retail drug business for at least 3 years. 11
[(e)] (F) (1) The license holder shall purchase liquor for retail sale from a 12
county dispensary or from a wholesaler. 13
(2) A dispensary may not charge the license holder more than 15% above 14
the wholesale operating cost to the dispensary. 15
[(f)] (G) The annual license fee is $4,400 and is in addition to [the] ANY fee 16
THAT MAY BE paid for [the] A Class B license. 17
32–1502. 18
The prohibitions against one person being issued more than one license under § 19
4–203 of this article do not apply to: 20
(1) a Class 6 pub–brewery license issued under § 2–208 of this article or a 21
Class 7 micro–brewery license issued under § 2–209 of this article; [or] 22
(2) A CLASS A BEER, WINE, AND LIQUOR LICENSE I SSUED UNDER § 23
32–901 OF THIS TITLE BEFORE JULY 1, 2026, TO A HOLDER OF A CLASS B LICENSE; 24
OR 25
(3) a Class B beer, wine, and liquor license issued under § 32 –902 of this 26
article if: 27
(i) the resident applicant is a resident of the county at the time of 28
application; and 29
4 HOUSE BILL 1498
(ii) the minimum capital investment in the premises is at least 1
$200,000 or the premises have a fair market value of at least $200,000. 2
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 3
1, 2026. 4