HB 99 Maryland House of Delegates · 2025 Regular Session

Anne Arundel County - Class A (Off-Sale) and Class D (Off-Sale) Licenses - Population Ratio Quota

HB 99 establishes a population-based quota for Class A (off-sale) and Class D (off-sale) alcohol licenses in Anne Arundel County, limiting new licenses to one per 4,000 residents in each tax assessment district. It prohibits the Board of License Commissioners from issuing new licenses or approving transfers that would exceed this ratio, using the 2005 official map to define districts. The bill exempts licenses issued before July 1, 2025, and the 6th tax assessment district from these restrictions. It also bans transferring licenses to locations outside the original district for licenses not existing by July 1, 2025. The policy directly affects businesses seeking new off-sale alcohol licenses in Anne Arundel County.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Oct 2024

Committee Review

Apr 2025

House of Delegates Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

May 2025

Introduced Oct 29, 2024 Signed May 20, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Third - Anne Arundel County - Class A (Off-Sale) and Class D (Off-Sale) Licenses - Population Ratio Quota → Enrolled - Anne Arundel County - Class A (Off-Sale) and Class D (Off-Sale) Licenses - Population Ratio Quota · 3 edits · May 20, 2025

MINOR

This bill was finalized and enrolled for the Governor's signature, transitioning from a draft stage to an official law. The most significant policy change is the reduction of the population ratio threshold for issuing new off-sale liquor licenses in Anne Arundel County from one per 4,000 residents to one per 3,500 residents, allowing for more licenses to be issued in areas with higher population density. Additionally, the bill was reorganized to repeal and reenact the existing statute, ensuring the new population ratio applies immediately upon enactment.

Scope change

The bill's geographic scope remains limited to Anne Arundel County, but the eligibility criteria for obtaining a new Class A or Class D license have been expanded by lowering the population density threshold required to justify a new license.

REQUIREMENT

The population ratio threshold for issuing new off-sale licenses was lowered from one per 4,000 individuals to one per 3,500 individuals, increasing the likelihood of approval for new applications in denser areas.

TECHNICAL

The bill text was restructured to repeal and reenact the relevant section of the Annotated Code of Maryland, a common procedural step for updating statutes.

TIMELINE

The bill was formally enrolled and prepared for the Governor's signature, moving it from a committee-approved draft to an enacted piece of legislation.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 14, 2025 · House of Delegates Mar 20, 2025

How they voted

45–0

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 46

Mar 14, 2025

D Democratic33

32 Yea 1

96% Yea

R Republican13

13 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 20, 2025

Signed into law

Approved by the Governor - Chapter 819

executive

Apr 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Enrolled

lower

Apr 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed

lower

Apr 3, 2025

Introduced

House Concurs Senate Amendments

lower

Apr 1, 2025

Upper · Passed

Third Reading Passed

upper

Apr 1, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

upper

Mar 31, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Finance

upper

Mar 20, 2025

House Of Delegates · Passed

House of Delegates Vote: pass (137-0-3)

house of delegates

Mar 17, 2025

Committee

Referred Finance

upper

Mar 17, 2025

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed

lower

Mar 15, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

lower

Mar 15, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Economic Matters

lower

Mar 14, 2025

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (45-0-1)

senate

Jan 8, 2025

Committee

First Reading Economic Matters

lower

Oct 29, 2024

Introduced

Pre-filed

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors