Criminal Law – Distribution of Students’ Personal Information – Prohibition
HB0566 changes the alcoholic beverages fee schedule for licenses in Dorchester County. It increases some annual license fees, decreases a few others, and adjusts per-diem license charges. The bill also authorizes the Dorchester County Board of License Commissioners to impose a new nonrefundable application fee for certain new beer-and-wine and beer-wine-liquor licenses, as well as a $50 transfer fee per license transfer.
More specifically, the bill amends the county-specific provisions in the Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article to revise fees for Class A, B, C, and D beer and beer-and-wine licenses, a Class B beer-wine-liquor license, a Class B caterer’s license, and per diem licenses. It adds a new section allowing the board to charge application fees of $150 or $200 depending on license type, with the fee not applying to renewals or transfers for the same premises. The act takes effect July 1, 2025.
The bill directly amends Maryland’s Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article provisions that apply only in Dorchester County, changing the local fee structure for multiple liquor license classes. It affects applicants, current license holders seeking renewals or transfers, and the county Board of License Commissioners, which gains explicit authority to collect application and transfer fees in addition to existing license fees.
The available record does not include committee testimony or recorded votes, so there is no documented debate to indicate strong support or opposition. Based on the bill’s enactment, the measure appears to have been accepted as a local administrative and revenue adjustment rather than a controversial policy change. The fee changes are mixed, with some fees rising and others falling, suggesting a targeted recalibration rather than a broad overhaul.
The main potential points of contention are the fee increases for several license categories and the new nonrefundable application fee, which could be viewed as raising costs for businesses seeking to enter or expand in the county’s alcohol market. License holders or prospective applicants may also object to the added transfer fee. On the other hand, the county board and local officials may support the measure as a way to better align fees with administrative costs and licensing oversight.