Penalties for illegal, unlicensed commercial house parties open to the general public were strengthened in a bill passed unanimously by Maryland’s Montgomery County Council on Tuesday.
Councilmember Dawn Luedtke, a Democrat, said in a release that if Bill 13-25 is signed into law, it would increase the penalty for such parties from $25 to $5,000 and would impose up to $15,000 in additional fines for noise and zoning violations.
The bill also establishes “unlicensed or unpermitted commercial picnics, dances, soirees, parties and other entertainment” as Class A civil violations, according to the bill’s economic impact statement. Under county law, Class A violations are punishable by a fine of up to $500…