Prince George’s County – Alcoholic Beverages – Fees PG 317–26
HB611 is a Prince George’s County local bill that increases a wide range of alcoholic beverages application, license, permit, transfer, and per-diem fees. The bill revises dozens of fee provisions in the county’s alcoholic beverages law, raising annual charges for many classes of beer, wine, and liquor licenses, as well as special-purpose licenses tied to venues such as hotels, stadiums, convention centers, golf courses, theme parks, waterfront facilities, yacht clubs, and entertainment venues. It also increases fees for permits such as entertainment permits, family entertainment permits, Sunday off-sale permits, wine tasting licenses, and certain temporary or per-diem licenses.
The bill also raises administrative fees, including the application fee for a new license and the fee for transferring a license. Most of the changes are modest percentage increases, though some categories see larger jumps, especially certain stadium, convention center, and off-sale-related licenses. The act is set to take effect July 1, 2026, and applies only in Prince George’s County under the county-specific title of the Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article.
HB611 amends numerous sections of the Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article that apply only in Prince George’s County, updating the fee schedule for a broad array of local alcohol licenses and permits. It does not create new statewide policy; instead, it changes the county’s local licensing costs and administrative charges for businesses, clubs, venues, and other license holders operating under Prince George’s County alcohol regulations. Affected parties include restaurants, bars, hotels, entertainment facilities, sports venues, clubs, and other establishments holding county-issued alcoholic beverages licenses or permits.
The available voting history suggests the bill was broadly supported and moved with little opposition. It received favorable committee treatment in the House and passed the House 123-2, then passed the Senate 45-0. No committee transcript excerpts were provided, so there is no recorded debate to indicate significant controversy in the available materials. Overall, the bill appears to have been viewed as a routine local fee adjustment rather than a major policy dispute.
The main substantive issue is the higher cost burden on licensees in Prince George’s County, particularly businesses and venues that rely on alcohol sales or special event permits. Potentially most affected are holders of higher-fee licenses such as stadium, convention center, entertainment, and off-sale licenses, as well as smaller operators facing across-the-board increases in annual fees and application/transfer charges. Because no committee discussion transcript is available, there is no documented disagreement over the fee levels, the scope of the increases, or how the added revenue should be used.