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*sb0972*
SENATE BILL 972
A2 6lr3636
By: Senator Hayes
Introduced and read first time: February 14, 2026
Assigned to: Rules
Re–referred to: Finance, February 22, 2026
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: March 2, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Baltimore City – 40th Alcoholic Beverages District – Class B Beer, Wine, and 2
Liquor Licenses Authorizations and Revisions 3
FOR the purpose of authorizing the Board of License Commissioners for Baltimore City to 4
issue Class B beer, wine, and liquor licenses for certain locations in the 40th alcoholic 5
beverages district, subject to certain limitations ; prohibiting certain license holders 6
in a certain area of the 40th alcoholic beverages district from selling alcoholic 7
beverages at certain times of day ; and generally relating to alcoholic beverages 8
licenses in Baltimore City. 9
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 10
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 11
Section 12–102 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 12–1603(c)(25) and (26) 12–1603(c)(13), (25), and (26) and 12–2005(d) 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 19
BY adding to 20
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 21
2 SENATE BILL 972
Section 12–1603(c)(27) and (28) 1
Annotated Code of Maryland 2
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 3
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 4
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 5
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 6
12–102. 7
This title applies only in Baltimore City. 8
12–1603. 9
(c) The Board may issue: 10
(13) [if the applicant executes a memorandum of understanding with the 11
Bolton Hill Community Association, ] a Class C beer, wine, and liquor license in the 1200 12
block of Eutaw Place in the 40th alcoholic beverages district IF: 13
(I) THE APPLICANT EXECUT ES A MEMORANDUM OF 14
UNDERSTANDING WITH THE BOLTON HILL COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION; AND 15
(II) THE BOARD WAIVES ANY REQUIREMENTS THAT SALES MAY 16
BE MADE ONLY TO MEMBERS AND GUESTS OF MEMBERS; 17
(25) a Class B beer, wine, and liquor license for a restaurant on the even 18
side of the unit block of South Carrollton Avenue in the 40th alcoholic beverages district if: 19
(i) the applicant executes a memorandum of understanding with the 20
Hollins Roundhouse Association; and 21
(ii) the Board waives the minimum seating requirement under item 22
(1)(ii)2 of this subsection; [and] 23
(26) a Class C beer, wine, and liquor license on the odd side of the 800 block 24
of North Howard Street in the 40th alcoholic beverages district if: 25
(i) the applicant does not convert the license to a different license 26
class; 27
(ii) the applicant does not transfer the license to a different location; 28
(iii) alcoholic beverages are served only to patrons indoors; 29
SENATE BILL 972 3
(iv) alcoholic beverages sales begin not earlier than 10 a.m. and end 1
not later than 9 p.m.; 2
(v) the applicant provides not more than two 12 –ounce offerings of 3
beer, two 6 –ounce offerings of wine by the glass, or two 1.5 –ounce offerings of liquor for 4
on–premises consumption by a p atron while the patron is provided a barbering service 5
regulated under Title 4, Subtitle 5 of the Business Occupations and Professions Article; 6
(vi) the Board waives any requirements that sales can be made only 7
to members and the guests of members; and 8
(vii) the applicant executes a memorandum of understanding with the 9
Mount Vernon – Belvedere Association; 10
(27) A CLASS B BEER, WINE, AND LIQUOR LICENSE FOR A RESTAURANT 11
ON THE ODD SIDE OF THE 1000 BLOCK OF WEST BALTIMORE STREET IN THE 40TH 12
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES DISTRICT IF: 13
(I) THE APPLICANT EXECUT ES A MEMORANDUM OF 14
UNDERSTANDING WITH THE HOLLINS ROUNDHOUSE ASSOCIATION; 15
(II) THE APPLICANT DOES N OT TRANSFER THE LICE NSE TO A 16
DIFFERENT LOCATION OR TO ANOTHER PERSON; AND 17
(III) THE BOARD WAIVES THE MINIMUM SEATING REQUIREMENT 18
UNDER ITEM (1)(II)2 OF THIS SUBSECTION; AND 19
(28) A CLASS B BEER, WINE, AND LIQUOR LICENSE FOR A RESTAURANT 20
ON THE EVEN SIDE OF THE 800 BLOCK OF NORTH CHARLES STREET IN THE 40TH 21
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES DISTRICT IF: 22
(I) THE APPLICANT EXECUTES A MEMORANDUM OF 23
UNDERSTANDING WITH THE MOUNT VERNON – BELVEDERE ASSOCIATION; AND 24
(II) THE BOARD WAIVES THE MINIMUM SEATING REQUIREMENT 25
UNDER ITEM (1)(II)2 OF THIS SUBSECTION. 26
12–2005. 27
(d) (1) This subsection does not apply to: 28
(i) a Class B beer and light wine (restaurant) license; 29
(ii) a Class B beer, wine, and liquor (restaurant) license issued under 30
§ 12–1603(c)(1)(ii) of this title; 31
4 SENATE BILL 972
(iii) a Class B–BWL (H–M) license; 1
(iv) a Class C beer and wine license; 2
(v) a Class C beer, wine, and liquor license; 3
(vi) an arena license; 4
(vii) a marketplace license; or 5
(viii) a Class M–F (municipal family fun center) license. 6
(2) For a license holder in the 40th alcoholic beverages district, the hours 7
of sale for alcoholic beverages may not begin before 10 a.m. or end after 10 p.m.: 8
(i) within an area bounded: 9
1. from the intersection of Reisterstown Road and Quantico 10
Avenue, northwest on Reisterstown Road to the intersection with Wylie Avenue, northeast 11
on Wylie Avenue to the intersection with Pimlico Road, northwest on Pimlico Road to the 12
intersection with Dupont Avenue, east on Dupont Avenue to the intersection with Pall Mall 13
Road, southeast on Pall Mall Road to the intersection with Edgecombe C ircle North, east 14
on Edgecombe Circle North to the intersection with Finney Avenue, south on Finney 15
Avenue to the intersection with Oakford Avenue, west on Oakford Avenue to the 16
intersection with Pall Mall Road, southeast on Pall Mall Road to the intersect ion with 17
Loyola Northway, southwest on Loyola Northway to the intersection with Pimlico Road, 18
southeast on Pimlico Road to the intersection with Quantico Avenue, and southwest on 19
Quantico Avenue to the intersection with Reisterstown Road; and 20
2. from the intersection of [Millington Avenue] BRUNSWICK 21
STREET with Wilkens Avenue, northwest on [Millington Avenue] BRUNSWICK STREET 22
to the intersection with Frederick Avenue, northeast on Frederick Avenue to the 23
intersection with [West Pratt Street] SOUTH FRANKLINTOWN ROAD, NORTHWEST ON 24
SOUTH FRANKLINTOWN ROAD TO THE INTERSECTION WITH HOLLINS STREET, east 25
on [West Pratt Street ] HOLLINS STREET to the intersection with South Mount Street, 26
south on South Mount Street to the intersection with Eagle Street, sout hwest on Eagle 27
Street to the intersection with South Smallwood Street, northwest on South Smallwood 28
Street to the intersection with Wilkens Avenue, and southwest on THE EVEN SIDE OF 29
Wilkens Avenue to the intersection with [Millington Avenue] BRUNSWICK STREET; 30
(ii) within the area of West North Avenue between the 1000 block of 31
West North Avenue and the 3200 block of West North Avenue, inclusive; 32
(iii) for a license holder within 250 yards in any direction of the area 33
described in item (ii) of this paragraph; and 34
SENATE BILL 972 5
(iv) within an area bounded as follows: from the intersection of North 1
Fulton Avenue with North Avenue, north on North Fulton Avenue to the intersection with 2
Pennsylvania Avenue, northeast on North Fulton Avenue to the intersection with Dr uid 3
Hill Avenue, southeast on Druid Hill Avenue to the intersection with Mosher Street, 4
southwest on Mosher Street to the intersection with North Carey Street, north on North 5
Carey Street to the intersection with North Avenue, and west on North Avenue to t he 6
intersection with North Fulton Avenue. 7
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 8
1, 2026. 9
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.