Gov. Wes Moore announced Wednesday he supports allowing the sale of beer and wine in grocery stores across the state — weighing in on a contentious idea that has previously failed in the legislature.
Most counties in the state do not have beer and wine in grocery and convenience stores, going back to 1978 when Maryland prevented supermarket chains from obtaining liquor licenses. There are a few exceptions, with some stores grandfathered in to selling alcohol due to a preexisting liquor license. Attempts to change the law last year were unsuccessful.
But Moore hopes that will change by the end of the next legislative session — which begins in January — despite some pushback.
“Maryland is one of only a handful of states in the nation where consumers can only buy beer and wine from specialized stores,” he said in a Wednesday afternoon statement. He added that the ban has put grocers at a disadvantage and led to less consumer choice.