Maryland HB 297: Montgomery County - Alcoholic Beverages - Sale of Chilled Beer and Chilled Wine MC 4-19

Bill Text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0297*

HOUSE BILL 297
A2 9lr0323

By: Montgomery County Delegation
Introduced and read first time: January 28, 2019
Assigned to: Economic Matters

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Montgomery County – Alcoholic Beverages – Sale of Chilled Beer and Chilled 2
Wine 3

MC 4–19 4

FOR the purpose of authorizing a dispensary of the Montgomery County Department of 5
Liquor Control to sell chilled beer and chilled wine for off–premises consumption 6
under certain circumstances; and generally relating to alcoholic beverages in 7
Montgomery County. 8

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 9
Article – Alcoholic Beverages 10
Section 25–102 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2016 Volume and 2018 Supplement) 13

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 14
Article – Alcoholic Beverages 15
Section 25–310(d) and (e) 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2016 Volume and 2018 Supplement) 18

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 19
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 20

Article – Alcoholic Beverages 21

25–102. 22

This title applies only in Montgomery County. 23

2 HOUSE BILL 297

25–310. 1

(d) (1) (i) In this subsection the following words have the meanings 2
indicated. 3

(ii) “Beer” includes draft beer in refillable and nonrefillable 4
containers. 5

(iii) “Wine” includes wine in refillable containers. 6

(2) A dispensary: 7

(i) may sell only: 8

1. except as provided for in subsection (e) of this section, for 9
off–premises consumption[, nonchilled]: 10

A. CHILLED AND NONCHILLED beer[,]; 11

B. CHILLED AND NONCHILLED wine[,]; and 12

C. NONCHILLED liquor; 13

2. ice; 14

3. bottled water; and 15

4. items commonly associated with the serving or 16
consumption of alcoholic beverages, including bottle openers, corkscrews, drink mixes, and 17
lime juice; and 18

(ii) may not sell snack foods or soft drinks. 19

(e) (1) A dispensary may sell any product in the dispensary’s inventory for the 20
purpose of: 21

(i) holding tastings of beer, wine, and liquor on the premises of the 22
dispensary only; 23

(ii) serving, for tasting, beer, wine, and liquor; and 24

(iii) allowing the consumption of beer, wine, and liquor by an 25
individual for tasting in a quantity of not more than: 26

1. one–half ounce from each offering of liquor; 27

2. 1.5 ounces from all offerings of liquor in a day; 28

HOUSE BILL 297 3

3. 1 ounce from each offering of wine; 1

4. 4 ounces from all offerings of wine in a day; 2

5. 3 ounces from each offering of beer; and 3

6. 12 ounces from all offerings of beer in a day. 4

(2) Once opened, a bottle used for beer, wine, or liquor tasting shall be 5
marked that it is to be used for that purpose only. 6

(3) A DISPENSARY MAY SELL CHILLED BEER OR CHILLED WINE FOR 7
OFF–PREMISES CONSUMPTION ONLY FROM A KEG FOR THE PURPOSE OF FILLING: 8

(I) FOR BEER, A REFILLABLE CONTAINER OR A 9
NONREFILLABLE CONTAINER; AND 10

(II) FOR WINE, A REFILLABLE CONTAINER. 11

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 12
1, 2019. 13