Maryland Alcoholic Beverage Law

Administrative Law and Regulatory Matters in the Alcoholic Drink Industry

Blog Authors

Nancy Hudes

Stuart Kaplow

Latest from Maryland Alcoholic Beverage Law

Maryland Alcoholic Beverage Law

Maryland Enacts New Alcoholic Beverage Laws in 2020

By Nancy Hudes & Stuart Kaplow

April 1, 2020

Almost 86 years to the day after the repeal of Prohibition, the Maryland General Assembly commenced on January 8, 2020. That 440th legislative session in Maryland was, for the first time since the Civil War, cut short, ending three weeks early. Despite the abridged, less than 90 day full session, the legislature acted on 1,664 House bills and 12 resolutions and 1,081 Senate bills and 6 resolutions with 667 bills passing both chambers before they…

Maryland Alcoholic Beverage Law

COVID-19 Orders Authorize Carry Out and Delivery of Alcoholic Beverages in Maryland

By Nancy Hudes & Stuart Kaplow

March 18, 2020

Most Marylanders are now aware of Governor Lawrence J. Hogan, Jr.’s March 23, 2020 Executive Order in response to the global coronavirus outbreak closing non-essential businesses, however, the Interpretive Guidance issued by the Governor’s Office of Legal Counsel makes clear the order does NOT require “alcoholic beverage stores and distributors, distilleries, and wineries” to close. Additionally, in response to the earlier March 16, 2020 Order “restaurants and bars are subject to specific provisions of the…

Maryland Alcoholic Beverage Law

100% Tariffs Proposed on your Favorite European Whiskey and Wine

By Nancy Hudes & Stuart Kaplow

January 12, 2020

The U.S. Trade Representative is reviewing a list of additional European goods, including Scotch whiskies and French wines, for 100% tariffs. The proposed duty to be paid on this very large class of alcoholic beverages will have a huge dollar impact not only on American wine drinkers, but also on a wide breadth of American businesses. The USTR is inviting public comments with respect to the imposition of those price doubling additional duties on specific…

Maryland Alcoholic Beverage Law

More than 60 New Alcoholic Beverage Laws Create Opportunity in Maryland

By Nancy Hudes & Stuart Kaplow

October 3, 2019

The General Assembly is Maryland’s legislative body. The legislature meets in regular session for 90 days each year beginning the second Wednesday in January to act on more than 2,500 pieces of legislation. On sine die, when the legislature adjourned its 439th session at midnight on the 90th day, on April 8, 2019, a total of 864 bills and 2 resolutions passed both chambers. Most of the legislation enacted in that 2019 General Assembly session,…

Maryland Alcoholic Beverage Law

Alcoholic Beverage License Residency Requirements Likely Unconstitutional

By Nancy Hudes & Stuart Kaplow

May 2, 2019

The U.S. Supreme Court is likely to overhaul the state regulation of retail alcoholic beverage licenses when it decides whether the state of Tennessee may limit the granting of liquor licenses only to individuals who have resided in state for 2 years or more. Many states and even counties have similar suspect restrictions, including Maryland. The debate about alcohol’s place in American society is as old as the country. The first President once denounced alcohol…

Maryland Alcoholic Beverage Law

Adult Beverage Delivery Trending

By Nancy Hudes & Stuart Kaplow

March 26, 2019

Adult Beverage Delivery Trending The most popularly delivered alcoholic beverage product in the U.S. is Veuve Clicquot champagne. Across the U.S. alcoholic beverage sales growth is decelerating, but still growing. That trend does not hold in Maryland where consumption was actually down last year for each beer, wine and spirits (.. with 19.054 gallons consumed per capita in 2018 down from 19.684 gallons consumed in 2017). But there is a bright spot and a tremendous…

Maryland Alcoholic Beverage Law

If You Are Not Delivering Alcohol To Your Customer, Your Competitor Will

By Nancy Hudes & Stuart Kaplow

March 13, 2019

As grocery stores and restaurants deliver exponentially larger quantities of food, beer, wine and spirits sales by delivery are only a step behind. You cannot wait to deliver by autonomous vehicle or even drone. The market shift is happening now. This is much more than only the impact that Amazon is already having on retail. Food delivery, in particular, is projected to grow by the double digits, at 12% per year, for each of the…

Maryland Alcoholic Beverage Law

Participate in the USDA “Listening Session” on Hemp including CBD

By Nancy Hudes & Stuart Kaplow

March 6, 2019

On December 20, 2018, the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 was signed into law and among its most discussed provisions are those removing hemp from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. The Secretary of Agriculture and the respective USDA agencies are working to implement the provisions of the 2018 Farm Bill as expeditiously as possible. To allow for public input and ensure transparency, USDA determined to hear from stakeholders regarding their priorities, concerns, and…

Maryland Alcoholic Beverage Law

Maryland Repeals Prohibition of Serving Person with a Disability

By Nancy Hudes & Stuart Kaplow

January 29, 2019

Maryland only this past year repealed provisions of law applicable in specified counties that made it a criminal offense to knowingly selling or providing an alcoholic beverage to an individual with an intellectual disability or to an individual if a family member or guardian has given written notice to the license holder that the person is of an unsound mind. It is difficult to understand how in modern times in Allegany, Carroll, Charles, Harford, Kent,…

Maryland Alcoholic Beverage Law

Distilleries No Longer Banned on Tribal Lands

By Nancy Hudes & Stuart Kaplow

January 13, 2019

In the final days of 2018 the President signed into law H.R. 5317 repealing the pre-Civil War prohibition on certain alcoholic beverage manufacturing on Indian lands. I the parlance of the early 19th century the bill repeals a prohibition on creating or continuing a distillery in Indian country for manufacturing ardent spirits, when it almost cryptically provides, “Section 2141 of the Revised Statutes (25 U.S.C. 251) is repealed.” The now repealed 1834 law…

Maryland Alcoholic Beverage Law

Administrative Law and Regulatory Matters in the Alcoholic Drink Industry

Blog Authors

Maryland Enacts New Alcoholic Beverage Laws in 2020

COVID-19 Orders Authorize Carry Out and Delivery of Alcoholic Beverages in Maryland

100% Tariffs Proposed on your Favorite European Whiskey and Wine

More than 60 New Alcoholic Beverage Laws Create Opportunity in Maryland

Alcoholic Beverage License Residency Requirements Likely Unconstitutional

Adult Beverage Delivery Trending

If You Are Not Delivering Alcohol To Your Customer, Your Competitor Will

Participate in the USDA “Listening Session” on Hemp including CBD

Maryland Repeals Prohibition of Serving Person with a Disability

Distilleries No Longer Banned on Tribal Lands

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