3-07-2025 5:21am

MD To Remain Dry

Effort to allow beer, wine sales in grocery and other stores falters again

Prospects dim for House bill as key legislative date nears, pushing it closer to the abyss of a committee drawer

By: Bryan P. Sears, Maryland matters

Shoppers hoping to grab a six-pack or a bottle of wine in the local grocery may have to wait another year, after a bill to expand sales to those stores was withdrawn in the Senate. A House bill remains but faces tough sledding with time running out. (Photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters)

An effort to allow beer and wine sales in grocery stores suffered a setback in the Senate this week that may spell an end to efforts to pass the measure for the 2025 session.

The Senate Finance Committee was poised Tuesday to kill Senate Bill 824 when its sponsor, Sen. Cory McCray (D-Baltimore City), asked at the last minute that the bill be withdrawn, said Senate Finance Chair Pamela Beidle (D-Anne Arundel).

“There was no support in my committee for it,” Beidle said of the bill, one of two proposed this session that would open beer and wine sales to retailers other than traditional liquor stores. The decision to pull the bill means Maryland will likely remain one of four states where grocers are prohibited from selling beer and wine.

McCray’s bill — a scant two pages — is a pared-down version of a House proposal. McCray’s bill would simply have removed the prohibition on issuing a Class A beer, wine and liquor license to a grocery store, chain store or warehouse retailer. McCray said that while his withdrawal of his bill “may seem like a setback, the conversation is far from over.”

“Notably, the Harris Teeter at McHenry Row in South Baltimore operates an attached beer and wine store, reflecting consumer demand for such conveniences,” he said Wednesday. “Before more grocers pursue individual solutions, it’s imperative for the legislature to proactively establish a clear, equitable framework that balances consumer convenience with the interests of small businesses and local communities. This issue is pressing, and I anticipate it will be a focal point in upcoming legislative sessions.”

Jack Milani, owner of Monaghan’s Pub in western Baltimore County and legislative co-chair of the Maryland Licensed Beverage Association, said he was pleased to see McCray’s bill pulled.

“We appreciate the members of the General Assembly for hearing the concerns of small businesses from across the state of Maryland about this legislation,” Milani said.

Gov. Wes Moore (D) in December backed the change and said he expected the legislature to put a bill “on my desk at the end of the session,” citing what he described as the overwhelming popularity of allowing beer and wine primarily in grocery stores.

A Moore spokesperson FINISH READING HERE