2236                                 LAWS OF MARYLAND                               Ch. 640

Preamble

House Bill 1793 of 1979, concerning Harford County -
Alcoholic Beverages, was signed into law as Chapter 742 of
the Laws of 1979, pending approval at a referendum. Several
technical errors in the bill were subsequently discovered,
along with a possible legal question resulting from a Court
of Appeals decision in Anne Arundel County v. McDonough, 277
Md. 271 (1976).

The Court decision stated the need to insure that
voters have full knowledge of the questions they are being
asked to vote upon. The Attorney General indicated his
belief that House Bill 1793 as enacted did not meet this
requirement because of a reference to "Abolishing" the
liquor dispensary system in Harford County, without
specifying that it was being replaced. This bill is
intended to deal with these problems; now, therefore,

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That section(s) of the Annotated Code of Maryland
(as enacted by Chapter 742 of the Acts of the General
Assembly of 1979) be repealed, amended, or enacted to read
as follows:

Article 2B - Alcoholic Beverages

14.

(g) (4) Licensees under this subsection may apply for
an option to their license which is governed by the
provisions of Section 18(o) and [18(n)] SECTION 19(N).

52A.

(b) In Harford County the liquor control board may not
issue more than one Class A off-sale license or one Bl and
B2 license (inclusive) for every 2,500 of population. In
addition, one additional Class A-l or A-2 beer, wine, and
liquor off-sale license or Class B option [shall] MAY be
issued by the liquor control board for every 20,000 of
population after July 1, 1982. However, in Harford County a
B-1 temporary license may be issued to those persons who
wish after six months to operate a bona fide Class B
license. The B-1 license shall be revoked after the
six-month period has expired if the licensee has not met all
requirements for a Class B license. The population figures
are those specified by the State Department of Health and
Mental Hygiene.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That chapter(s)
of the Acts of the General Assembly of Maryland be repealed,
amended, or enacted to read as follows:

Chapter 742 of the Acts of 1979