SB 1002

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 ______
1 AN ACT concerning
2    Prince George’s County – Alcoholic Beverages – Class AER (Equity Retail)
3License
4 FOR the purpose of establishing a Class AER (equity retail) beer, wine, and liquor license
5      in Prince George’s County; authorizing the Board of License Commissioners for
6      Prince George’s County to issue the license to an applicant that is certified as a
7      minority business enterprise by the county meets certain criteria for use only in
8      certain areas of the county, subject to certain requirements; limiting the number of
9      Class AER licenses that the Board may issue; and generally relating to alcoholic
10      beverages licenses in Prince George’s County.
11 BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments,
12Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis
13Section 26–102
14Annotated Code of Maryland
15(2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
16 BY adding to
17      Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis
18      Section 26–901.1
19      Annotated Code of Maryland
20      (2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
     EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
  [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
  Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
  Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
  amendment.
  *sb1002*
2SENATE BILL 1002
1SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
2 That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
3Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis
4 26–102.
5      This title applies only in Prince George’s County.
6 26–901.1.
7      (A)  IN THIS SECTION, “SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED
8 INDIVIDUAL” HAS THE MEANING STATED IN § 10A–101 OF THE PRINCE GEORGE’S
9 COUNTY CODE QUALIFYING ZIP CODE” MEANS A ZIP CODE LOCATED IN PRINCE
10 GEORGE’S COUNTY IN WHICH THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME, AS DETERMINED
11 IN THE MOST RECENT DATA PUBLISHED BY THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU,
12 DOES NOT EXCEED $86,000.
13      (B)    THERE IS A CLASS AER (EQUITY RETAIL) BEER, WINE, AND LIQUOR
14 LICENSE.
15      (C)    (1)THE LICENSE AUTHORIZES THE LICENSE HOLDER TO SELL BEER,
16 WINE, AND LIQUOR AT RETAIL AT THE PLACE DESCRIBED IN THE LICENSE.
17(2)   THE LICENSE HOLDER SHALL SELL BEER, WINE, OR LIQUOR IN A
18 SEALED PACKAGE OR CONTAINER THAT MAY NOT BE OPENED OR ITS CONTENTS
19 CONSUMED ON THE LICENSED PREMISES.
20      (D)   THE SUBJECT TO THE LIMITATIONS OF THIS SECTION, THE LICENSE
21 MAY BE ISSUED ONLY:
22(1)TO AN APPLICANT THAT IS CERTIFIED AS A MINORITY BUSINESS
23 ENTERPRISE BY THE COUNTY WHO:
24(I)    RESIDES IN A QUALIFYING ZIP CODE AT THE TIME OF
25 APPLICATION; AND
26(II)   1.
  HAS MAINTAINED A PRIMARY RESIDENCE IN ONE OR
27 MORE QUALIFYING ZIP CODES FOR AT LEAST 4 OF THE 8 YEARS IMMEDIATELY
28 PRECEDING THE DATE OF THE APPLICATION; OR
292.
  ATTENDED A PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL
30 LOCATED IN ONE OR MORE QUALIFYING ZIP CODES FOR AT LEAST 4 YEARS; AND
  SENATE BILL 1002  3
1(2)   FOR USE AT AN ESTABLISHMENT THAT:
2(I)    IS LOCATED:
31.   OUTSIDE THE CAPITAL BELTWAY; AND
42.   AT LEAST 1 ONE–HALF MILE AWAY FROM ANY OTHER
5 ESTABLISHMENT THAT HOLDS A CLASS A BEER, WINE, AND LIQUOR LICENSE; AND
6(II)
  HAS A MINIMUM CAPITAL INVESTMENT OF $200,000
7 $500,000 TOWARD THE DEVELOPMENT, ACQUISITION, OR BUILD–OUT OF THE
8 LICENSED PREMISES; AND
9(III) FEATURES AND MAINTAINS A MEANINGFUL INVENTORY OF
10 ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE BRANDS THAT WERE FOUNDED BY, OR ARE UNDER
11 OWNERSHIP BY A MAJORITY OF, SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED
12 INDIVIDUALS.
13      (E)   AN ESTABLISHMENT LICENSED UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE OWNED
14 AND UNDER THE OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF A CERTIFIED MINORITY BUSINESS
15 ENTERPRISE FOR THE DURATION OF THE LICENSE
16(1)   A LICENSE MAY NOT BE ISSUED TO AN APPLICANT IF:
17(I) THE APPLICANT OR A PRINCIPAL OF THE APPLICANT HOLDS
18 A DIRECT OR INDIRECT OWNERSHIP INTEREST IN ANOTHER CLASS A BEER, WINE,
19 AND LIQUOR LICENSE IN THE COUNTY, EXCEPT AS AUTHORIZED BY THE BOARD FOR
20 GOOD CAUSE;
21(II)
  THE APPLICANT IS CONTROLLED BY, AFFILIATED WITH, OR
22 OPERATED FOR THE BENEFIT OF A CHAIN, FRANCHISE, OR OUTSIDE INVESTMENT
23 GROUP IN A MANNER THAT UNDERMINES THE PURPOSE OF THIS SECTION; OR
24(III) THE
  APPLICANT FAILS TO DEMONSTRATE ACTUAL
25 DAY–TO–DAY OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF THE LICENSED ESTABLISHMENT.
26(2)   THE BOARD SHALL GIVE PRIORITY TO AN APPLICANT THAT:
27(I)    IS A FIRST–TIME RETAIL LICENSE APPLICANT;
28(II)
  DOES NOT EXCEED REVENUE OR NET–WORTH THRESHOLDS
29 ESTABLISHED BY THE BOARD; AND
30(III) DEMONSTRATES A NEED FOR MARKET ENTRY ASSISTANCE.
4SENATE BILL 1002
1      (F)  IN ADDITION TO THE REQUIREMENTS UNDER SUBSECTIONS (D) AND (E)
2 OF THIS SECTION, A A LICENSE UNDER THIS SECTION MAY NOT BE ISSUED FOR A
3 DRUGSTORE UNLESS THE APPLICANT:
4(1) HAS BEEN DOING BUSINESS AT THE LOCATION APPLIED FOR IN
5 THE LICENSE FOR AT LEAST 1 YEAR BEFORE THE DATE OF THE APPLICATION FOR
6 THE LICENSE;
7(2)  IS THE ASSIGNEE OF A BUSINESS ESTABLISHED FOR AT LEAST 1
8 YEAR BEFORE THE DATE OF THE APPLICATION FOR THE LICENSE AT THE LOCATION
9 APPLIED FOR; OR
10(3)   HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN THE RETAIL DRUG BUSINESS FOR AT
11 LEAST 3 YEARS.
12      (G)   THE BOARD MAY NOT ISSUE MORE THAN:
13(1)   2 LICENSES UNDER THIS SECTION PER YEAR; AND
14(2)   A TOTAL OF 10 LICENSES UNDER THIS SECTION.
15      (H)  THE LICENSE HOLDER MAY SELL BEER, WINE, AND LIQUOR DURING THE
16 HOURS AND DAYS AS SET OUT FOR A CLASS A BEER, WINE, AND LIQUOR LICENSE
17 UNDER § 26–2004 OF THIS TITLE, SUBJECT TO COUNTY USE AND OCCUPANCY LAWS
18 FOR HOURS OF OPERATION.
19      (I)   THE BOARD MAY ADOPT REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT THIS SECTION.
20      (J)   THE ANNUAL LICENSE FEE IS $910.
21      (K) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2027, AND EACH DECEMBER 1
22 THEREAFTER, THE BOARD SHALL SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE PRINCE GEORGE’S
23 COUNTY DELEGATIONS TO THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES AND SENATE OF MARYLAND,
24 IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, ON THE
25 IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS SECTION, INCLUDING INFORMATION REGARDING THE
26 LOCATION OF EACH LICENSE ISSUED AND THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF EACH LICENSE
27 HOLDER.
28SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July
29 1, 2026.