Alcoholic Beverages Industry - Study

SB 542 requires Maryland's Governor's Office of Small, Minority, and Women Business Affairs to hire an independent consultant to study the state's alcoholic beverages industry, focusing on minority participation and barriers to entry. The study will collect confidential data from license holders (distributors and retailers) on business ownership demographics, brands carried, and industry structure, which must be shared only in anonymized or aggregated form. It will analyze participation rates by race and ethnicity, compare Maryland's system to other states, and identify potential discrimination in the industry. The consultant must submit a final report with recommendations by December 1, 2026, to help inform policies supporting minority-owned businesses in the sector.