Howard County - Alcoholic Beverages - Gift Basket Permit Ho. Co. 2-26

HB 456 creates a new "Gift Basket Permit" in Howard County for specific businesses to sell and deliver alcohol-containing gift baskets. It authorizes flower shops or gift basket businesses (without existing alcohol licenses) to sell baskets with up to 72 ounces of beer, 2.25 liters of wine, or 2.25 liters of liquor to customers aged 21+ - requiring ID verification at delivery. The permit excludes chain stores/supermarkets, caps alcohol sales at 10% of total revenue, and requires purchasing alcohol from licensed retailers. Crucially, it exempts this permit from Howard County’s standard 400-500 foot school proximity restrictions for alcohol licenses. The permit costs $100 annually and modifies existing state law (Maryland Annotated Code §23-1003.1 and §23-1602).