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…