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*sb1002*
SENATE BILL 1002
A2 6lr3728
CF 6lr3668
By: Prince George’s County Senators
Introduced and read first time: February 24, 2026
Assigned to: Rules
Re–referred to: Finance, March 21, 2026
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: March 27, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Prince George’s County – Alcoholic Beverages – Class AER (Equity Retail) 2
License 3
FOR the purpose of establishing a Class AER (equity retail) beer, wine, and liquor license 4
in Prince George’s County; authorizing the Board of License Commissioners for 5
Prince George’s County to issue the license to an applicant that is certifie d as a 6
minority business enterprise by the county meets certain criteria for use only in 7
certain areas of the county, subject to certain requirements; limiting the number of 8
Class AER licenses that the Board may issue; and generally relating to alcoholic 9
beverages licenses in Prince George’s County. 10
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 11
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 12
Section 26–102 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 15
BY adding to 16
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 17
Section 26–901.1 18
Annotated Code of Maryland 19
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 20
2 SENATE BILL 1002
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 3
26–102. 4
This title applies only in Prince George’s County. 5
26–901.1. 6
(A) IN THIS SECTION , “SOCIALLY AND ECONOMI CALLY DISADVANTAGED 7
INDIVIDUAL” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 10A–101 OF THE PRINCE GEORGE’S 8
COUNTY CODE QUALIFYING Z IP CODE ” MEANS A ZIP CODE LOC ATED IN PRINCE 9
GEORGE’S COUNTY IN WHICH THE M EDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME, AS DETERMINED 10
IN THE MOST RECENT DATA PUBLISHED BY THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU, 11
DOES NOT EXCEED $86,000. 12
(B) THERE IS A CLASS AER (EQUITY RETAIL ) BEER, WINE, AND LIQUOR 13
LICENSE. 14
(C) (1) THE LICENSE AUTHORIZES THE LICENSE HOLDER TO SELL BEER, 15
WINE, AND LIQUOR AT RETAIL AT THE PLACE DESCRIBED IN THE LICENSE. 16
(2) THE LICENSE HOLDER SHALL SELL BEER, WINE, OR LIQUOR IN A 17
SEALED PACKAGE OR CO NTAINER THAT M AY NOT BE OPENED OR ITS CONTENTS 18
CONSUMED ON THE LICENSED PREMISES. 19
(D) THE SUBJECT TO THE LIMITA TIONS OF THIS SECTIO N, THE LICENSE 20
MAY BE ISSUED ONLY: 21
(1) TO AN APPLICANT THAT IS CERTIFIED AS A MINORITY BUSINESS 22
ENTERPRISE BY THE COUNTY WHO: 23
(I) RESIDES IN A QUALIFY ING ZIP CODE AT THE TIME OF 24
APPLICATION; AND 25
(II) 1. HAS MAINTAINED A PRI MARY RESIDENCE IN ON E OR 26
MORE QUALIFYING ZIP CODES FOR AT LEAST 4 OF THE 8 YEARS IMMEDIATELY 27
PRECEDING THE DATE OF THE APPLICATION; OR 28
2. ATTENDED A PRIMARY AND SECONDAR Y SCHOOL 29
LOCATED IN ONE OR MORE QUALIFYING ZIP CODES FOR AT LEAST 4 YEARS; AND 30
SENATE BILL 1002 3
(2) FOR USE AT AN ESTABLISHMENT THAT: 1
(I) IS LOCATED: 2
1. OUTSIDE THE CAPITAL BELTWAY; AND 3
2. AT LEAST 1 ONE–HALF MILE AWAY FROM ANY O THER 4
ESTABLISHMENT THAT HOLDS A CLASS A BEER, WINE, AND LIQUOR LICENSE; AND 5
(II) HAS A MINIMUM CAPITA L INVESTMENT OF $200,000 6
$500,000 TOWARD THE DEVELOPME NT, ACQUISITION, OR BUILD –OUT OF THE 7
LICENSED PREMISES; AND 8
(III) FEATURES AND MAINTAINS A M EANINGFUL INVENTORY OF 9
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE B RANDS THAT WERE FOUN DED BY , OR ARE UNDER 10
OWNERSHIP BY A MAJOR ITY OF , SOCIALLY AND ECONOMI CALLY DISADVANTAGED 11
INDIVIDUALS. 12
(E) AN ESTABLISHMENT LICENSED UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE OWNED 13
AND U NDER THE OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF A CERTIFI ED MINORITY BUSINESS 14
ENTERPRISE FOR THE DURATION OF THE LICENSE 15
(1) A LICENSE MAY NOT BE ISSUED TO AN APPLICANT IF: 16
(I) THE APPLICANT OR A PRINCIPAL OF THE APPLICANT HOLDS 17
A DIRECT OR INDIRECT OWNERSHIP INTEREST IN ANOTHER CLASS A BEER, WINE, 18
AND LIQUOR LICENSE IN THE COUNTY, EXCEPT AS AUTHORIZED BY THE BOARD FOR 19
GOOD CAUSE; 20
(II) THE APPLICANT IS CONTROLLED BY, AFFILIATED WITH, OR 21
OPERATED FOR THE BEN EFIT OF A CHAIN , FRANCHISE, OR OUTSIDE INVESTMEN T 22
GROUP IN A MANNER THAT UNDERMINES THE PURPOSE OF THIS SECTION; OR 23
(III) THE APPLICANT FAILS TO DEMONSTRATE ACTUA L 24
DAY–TO–DAY OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF THE LICENSED ESTABLISHMENT. 25
(2) THE BOARD SHALL GIVE PRIORITY TO AN APPLICANT THAT: 26
(I) IS A FIRST–TIME RETAIL LICENSE APPLICANT; 27
(II) DOES NOT EXCEED REVENUE OR NET–WORTH THRESHOLDS 28
ESTABLISHED BY THE BOARD; AND 29
(III) DEMONSTRATES A NEED FOR MARKET ENTRY ASSISTANCE. 30
4 SENATE BILL 1002
(F) IN ADDITION TO THE REQUIREMENTS UNDER SUBSECTIONS (D) AND (E) 1
OF THIS SECTION, A A LICENSE UNDER THIS S ECTION MAY NOT BE IS SUED FOR A 2
DRUGSTORE UNLESS THE APPLICANT: 3
(1) HAS BEEN DOING BUSIN ESS AT THE LOCATION APPLIED FOR IN 4
THE LICENSE FOR AT L EAST 1 YEAR BEFORE THE DATE OF THE APPLICATION F OR 5
THE LICENSE; 6
(2) IS THE ASSIGNEE OF A BU SINESS ESTABLISHED F OR AT LEAST 1 7
YEAR BEFORE THE DATE OF THE APPLICATION FOR THE LICENSE AT THE LOCATION 8
APPLIED FOR; OR 9
(3) HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN THE RETAIL DRUG BUSI NESS FOR AT 10
LEAST 3 YEARS. 11
(G) THE BOARD MAY NOT ISSUE MORE THAN: 12
(1) 2 LICENSES UNDER THIS SECTION PER YEAR; AND 13
(2) A TOTAL OF 10 LICENSES UNDER THIS SECTION. 14
(H) THE LICENSE HOLDER MAY SELL BEER, WINE, AND LIQUOR DURING THE 15
HOURS AND DAYS AS SE T OUT FOR A CLASS A BEER, WINE, AND LIQUOR LICENSE 16
UNDER § 26–2004 OF THIS TITLE, SUBJECT TO COUNTY USE AND OCCUPANCY LAWS 17
FOR HOURS OF OPERATION. 18
(I) THE BOARD MAY ADOPT REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT THIS SECTION. 19
(J) THE ANNUAL LICENSE FEE IS $910. 20
(K) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2027, AND EACH DECEMBER 1 21
THEREAFTER, THE BOARD SHALL SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE PRINCE GEORGE’S 22
COUNTY DELEGATIONS TO THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES AND SENATE OF MARYLAND, 23
IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, ON THE 24
IMPLEMENTATION OF TH IS SECTION , INCLUDING INFORMATION REGARDING THE 25
LOCATION OF EACH LIC ENSE ISSUED AND THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF EACH LICENSE 26
HOLDER. 27
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 28
1, 2026. 29