BALTIMORE — Delegate Marlon Amprey first introduced legislation to bring wine and beer to grocery stores in the 2024 session.
Although the legislation did not make it through to become law, Amprey says he is optimistic this year will be different.
He isn't the only one who is optimistic about it.
"Oh I'm so excited about it I hope everything works out because it would be wonderful to go in the market and be able to get beer and wine," says Gladys Wilder.
Gladys wilder says it would be helpful to have more places to get those beverages instead of having to go from place to place while shopping.
"We'll be happy if we can just get everything out of the store at once where we won't have to just go to the market and then go somewhere else and plus it will be much safer like that you go to one place and then you will be able to go home," she says.
I met up with delegate Amprey to learn more about the bill and why he is proposing it.
"The goal of any bill of mine is always going to be equity so I wanted to think through how can we provide some equity with adding beer and wine in grocery stores," says Delegate Amprey.
He says one way to provide that equity is having a small convenience tax on beer and wine in the stores so the state can put money aside to help developers build more grocery stores in areas that are food deserts.
He also wants to bring more exposure to local breweries.
"We're going to make sure that a percentage of all beer and wine sold in grocery stores across the state of Maryland are going to have to have beer and wine produced here in the state of Maryland," says Amprey.
He says having local beer and wine in the stores will help local companies like union craft brewing and Guilford hall brewery get more exposure and eventually sell their products in other states.
"I can't wait to walk into a store in California or in Texas when I'm on vacation and see a beer made in the 40th district right, right now its really hard for them to do that. they have to compete with all of these big manufacturers," says Amprey.
In December Wmar spoke with liquor store owners who are not happy with this bill, they fear it will hurt the small business liquor stores.
"I've heard the concerns from our smaller beer, wine and liquor stores and I understand their concerns but we already have some grandfathered stores here that already sell beer wine and liquor," says Marlon Amprey.
Amprey says since it is just wine and beer and no hard alcohol it shouldn't have too much of an impact on those stores.
"There is going to be a bit of a ecosystem shift but I still think there is going to be a place for all of these stores to live and thrive together where 46 other states currently do that right and other states are able to have it all, I think we can have it all here in Maryland as well," he says.
Governor Wes Moore also supports the bill and he says he hopes lawmakers work to pass it this session.
