HARRY HUGHES, Governor                                  2665

Article 2B — Alcoholic Beverages

Section 68(a)

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1981 Replacement Volume and 1981 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That section(s) of the Annotated Code of Maryland
read(s) as follows:

Article 2B - Alcoholic Beverages

68.

(a) The holder of any expiring license, other than
special licenses issued under the provisions of this
article, shall, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days
before the first day of May of each and every year, file a
written application, duly verified by oath, for the renewal
of the license with the official authorized to approve the
same. The renewal application shall state that the facts in
the original application are unchanged. It shall be
accompanied by a statement signed by the owner of the
premises consenting to renewal of the license and to search
and seizure as in the the case of original applications. In
the case of retail dealers applying for renewal, the
statement of consent by the owner of the premises may not be
required if the owner has previously signed such a statement
in connection with an original application or previous
renewal application giving consent for the term of the
owner's lease with the applicant if the lease or renewal
does not expire during the term of the renewal license. IF
IN PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, IF AN APPLICANT FOR RENEWAL UNDER
THIS SUBSECTION OR SUBSECTION 68(F) OF THIS ARTICLE COMPLIES
WITH THE REQUIREMENT OF SUBMITTING A STATEMENT OR
CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL SIGNED BY THE OWNER OF THE PREMISES
CONSENTING TO RENEWAL OF THE LICENSE AND TO INSPECTION AND
SEARCHES OF THE PREMISES, AS IN THE CASE OF ORIGINAL
APPLICATIONS, A THE PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY BOARD OF LICENSE
COMMISSIONERS MAY NOT REQUIRE AN APPLICANT TO HOLD A LEASE
ON THE PREMISES FOR THE FULL TERM OR ANY PORTION OF THE
LICENSE RENEWAL PERIOD. Upon the filing of the renewal
application, and upon payment of the annual fee, the holder
of the expiring license is entitled to a new license for
another year without the filing of further statements or the
furnishing of any further information unless specifically
requested by the official authorized to approve the license.
A license by way of renewal may not be approved without a
hearing before such official if a protest has been filed
against the granting of the new license at least 30 days,
and in Prince George's County no later than March 1 of the
year in which the license expires, before the expiration of
the license for which renewal is sought. This protest shall
be (1) signed by not less than ten residents or real estate
owners in the immediate vicinity in which the licensed place