Maryland House Bill HB0583

Maryland 2026 Regular Session

Caption

Prince George’s County – Alcoholic Beverages – Notice of Issuance of Class C Per Diem Beer, Wine, and Liquor License PG 319–26

Summary

HB 583 makes a narrow, technical change to Prince George’s County alcohol licensing law. It does not alter who may receive a Class C per diem beer, wine, and liquor license or the substantive licensing standards. Instead, it updates the name of one office that the Prince George’s County Board of License Commissioners must notify when issuing such a license, replacing the former County Department of Environmental Resources with the Department of Permitting, Inspections, and Enforcement. Under current law, when the Board issues a Class C per diem license for an event, it must notify specified local officials and provide basic event details. This bill keeps that notice requirement in place and simply modernizes the reference to the county department responsible for receiving the notice. The act applies only in Prince George’s County and takes effect July 1, 2026.

Impact

The bill amends Section 26-1311 of the Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article as it applies solely to Prince George’s County. Its legal effect is limited to updating an agency name in the notice provisions for Class C per diem beer, wine, and liquor licenses, ensuring the statute matches current county administrative structure. It affects the Board of License Commissioners and the county department that receives notice, but it does not change licensing eligibility, enforcement authority, or event notice content requirements.

Sentiment

The available record suggests the bill was noncontroversial and administrative in nature. There are no committee transcripts, recorded objections, or vote details indicating opposition. The fact that it was approved by the Governor as Chapter 837 is consistent with a routine technical update rather than a policy dispute.

Contention

No notable substantive contention appears in the available materials. Because the bill only renames the county office receiving notice, any discussion would likely have centered on administrative accuracy and keeping the statute current rather than on alcohol regulation policy. If there was any practical concern, it would have been limited to ensuring the correct county agency continues to receive event notices for per diem licenses.