Maryland lawmakers are uncorking a fresh round in the state’s long-running fight over who gets to sell alcohol, rolling out a slate of bills that would let grocery stores sell beer and wine and, in some cases, liquor. The proposals range from narrowly tailored county carve-outs to new statewide license classes for retailers and manufacturers. Fans of the change argue it would let busy shoppers do one-stop runs and help keep supermarkets in neighborhoods that have already watched stores close, while critics warn it could gut independent liquor shops.
Yesterday, delegates filed House Bill 1552, which would create a new Class L beer, wine, and liquor license with an effective date of July 1. The bill has a first reading and a hearing set for Monday, Feb. 23, according to the Maryland General Assembly. It is one of several measures introduced around the state this month and follows companion efforts in the Senate and by county delegations. If lawmakers sign off, the statewide and local bills would open the door for a range of nontraditional retailers to apply for beer and wine sales where they are currently shut out.
Supporters include Gov. Wes Moore and retail groups who contend the policy shift is overdue and would help draw full-service grocers into food deserts, according to The Washington Post. The Maryland Retailers Alliance and a new Consumer Freedom Coalition say shoppers clearly like one-stop grocery-and-booze errands and argue that extra revenue could help prop up razor-thin supermarket margins, per the coalition’s rollout materials. To soften the blow for existing small businesses, backers have floated potential compromises such as special surcharges, requirements that big retailers purchase existing licenses, or limits on where new licenses can be used.
On the other side, independent liquor-store owners and industry groups are lining up to oppose the change, warning lawmakers that opening the taps in grocery aisles could wipe out small shops and cost jobs, critics told Maryland Matters. Supporters counter with polling that shows broad public enthusiasm for grabbing beer and wine alongside bread and milk: a Maryland Now poll cited by advocates found roughly 80% support, according to WYPR. That tension between strong voter backing and worries about mom-and-pop casualties is driving lawmakers to toy with targeted exemptions, fees, and other middle-ground tweaks.
Legal Questions And Local Carve-Outs
Some proposals would reshape rules statewide, while others would carve out specific jurisdictions. In Prince George's County, for instance, a local bill would authorize Class A beer and beer-and-wine licenses for certain supermarkets inside the Beltway, according to the Maryland General Assembly. The package of bills keeps in place a set of grandfathered retailers that already operate attached beer-and-wine shops, but it raises a fresh stack of questions about how many new licenses can be issued, whether counties will require buyers to purchase existing licenses, and what enforcement will look like. Expect committee analysts to spend quality time with economic-impact projections and license-quota math as hearings get underway.
What’s Next
The bills are queued up for committee hearings over the coming weeks and will have to survive multiple stops before they can reach the House or Senate floor. The fight has already spilled onto local TV, with CBS News Baltimore airing video of lawmakers and retail leaders making their case. Both sides are busy lining up witnesses and everyday shoppers to testify. If any of the measures advance, expect the real haggling to center on how many licenses are allowed, how current businesses transition, and whether targeted surcharges become the price of putting beer and wine in the grocery aisle.
