Senate Finance Committee advances multiple local alcohol‑license bills; SB 738 removed from consent calendar

The Senate Finance Committee approved a package of local alcohol‑licensing bills during a Feb. 26 voting session, advancing measures to create or expand licenses in Dorchester and Caroline counties and in Baltimore City. One item, Senate Bill 738, was removed from the consent calendar and voted on separately; the transcript records Senator Kramer as opposed.

Committee staffer Nathan McCurdy opened the session and said the day’s agenda was a voting session on “all the alcohol bills that we heard last Friday,” and walked senators through the consent calendar and the separate pink voting list containing several local license bills.

Why it matters: the bills change where and how alcoholic beverages may be sold or served in specific counties and city districts — authorizing new license types and setting local conditions such as distance limits from schools or places of worship, minimum venue size, and expedited‑processing fees. Many of the bills delegate final local issuance decisions to county boards of license commissioners or the city delegation and include technical amendments.

Key bills and committee action

• Senate Bill 800 (Dorchester County): The bill would establish an “arts beer and wine” license for a nonprofit or for‑profit retail business that displays or sells original artwork and is located in an arts and entertainment district. A reprint and amendments before the committee authorize a board to issue the license to an establishment within 300 feet of a place of worship or school if that place provides written consent. McCurdy told the committee there is “otherwise no fiscal impact.” The committee voted to report SB 800 favorably as amended; the motion was made by Senator Raul and seconded by Senator Mounts. The transcript records a unanimous vote.

• Senate Bill 802 (Dorchester County): The bill would establish a venue beer, wine and liquor license for nonprofit or for‑profit…