The Prince George’s County liquor board is considering allowing liquor stores to deliver beer, wine and alcohol to their customers’ front doors. The county Liquor Control Board is considering adopting the rule, which would give stores the right to take call-in orders and deliver alcohol, much like a pizza shop serves up pies to its customers.
Deliveries could be made only when the stores are authorized to sell alcohol, according to the proposal.
| Proposed liquor delivery rules |
| Delivery employees must be certified by a Maryland alcohol awareness program. |
| Contract delivery services are not permitted. |
| Deliveries must be received by the person placing the order. |
| Employees must note the age of the person placing the order and the type of identification to be verified when the delivery is made. |
| Accurate records of sales and identifications must be kept and checked each month by an inspector. |
Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley recently signed new laws allowing direct shipments from wineries to Maryland homes, and the delivery of local alcohol could be the next logical step for liquor stores to follow suit.
But there’s a difference between trying to get a rare wine from outside the state delivered to your home and ordering a bottle of gin from a nearby store, said County Councilman Will Campos, D-Hyattsville.
“I just don’t see why that’s needed, or what’s the reason for it. There may not be one,” Campos said. “It just doesn’t seem like something that’s absolutely necessary.”
The rules would require that delivery employees be certified by a Maryland alcohol awareness program and that deliveries must be received by the person placing the order. Employees would be required to note the age of the person placing the order and the type of identification to be verified when the delivery is made to ensure that the person is at least 21 years old.
One Prince George’s community is dumbfounded by the proposal.
Laurel officials may try to block the liquor deliveries with new city rules, said Mayor Craig Moe.
“We have problems enforcing the current laws now, with kids and minors able to get into stores and get alcohol,” he said. “My gut feeling is I just don’t think this is right.”
The city council has butted heads with the liquor board in the past over the board’s approval of liquor sales at Laurel locations that go against the city’s zoning codes, giving city officials a lack of confidence in their ability to work with the commissioners and carry out the law, Moe said.
Commissioners on the liquor board could not be reached for comment.
Alcohol deliveries are legal in the District, but are illegal in Montgomery County.
The commissioners are asking for public input, and the rule is scheduled
for public debate at a June 28 liquor board meeting.
