It looks like Delegate Nathaniel Oaks introduced this bill for the benefit of adult entertainment establishments.You can read more about the Baltimore City – Alcoholic Beverages Establishments – Weekend Closing Hours Bill (House Bill 429) here and here. A summary of House Bill 429 is below:
“This bill extends the hours that alcoholic beverages may be sold in certain licensed establishments in Baltimore City from 2 a.m. until 3 a.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Eligible establishments must hold either a Class B-D-7 license or a Class B beer, wine, and liquor license. In addition, the establishments must have been issued an adult entertainment permit from the city or be located in a specified area of Baltimore City near the Inner Harbor. The bill also allows individuals to consume alcoholic beverages on the premises of these establishments until 4 a.m.
The bill takes effect July 1, 2010.”
I support extending drinking hours in non-residential areas, but this bill is clearly flawed (and adult entertainment-centric). I see no point in rewarding every strip club in Baltimore (no matter where they are located) with later drinking hours. It is not going to pass. This bill would extend drinking hours in many bars in Federal Hill (a residential neighborhood). That area is already saturated with drunks on the weekends and it does not need such a spark to increase business. It will only be a nuisance there. A proper drinking hours extension bill should not include areas like Federal Hill and it should create a new variation of the BD-7 license that establishments would have to purchase that could easily be revoked with citizen protest. Extended drinking hours is a privileged that establishments should pay for and that the city and state should profit from.
Any future bill should continue to focus around the Harbor, but it should also look at other parts of the city where extended drinking hours would create economic development opportunities (a new 4AM entertainment zone in a now industrial part of Baltimore?).
I think it is positive that extended drinking hours are at least being discussed in the House of Delegates. It’s better than trying to make money off of slots.
If you are wondering why this bill has an excessive adult entertainment provision it in…
| Candidates Account | Contributor Name(Address) | Amount | Date Received | Contribution Type |
| Oaks, Nathaniel Committee To Re-Elect | Eldorado Lounge, Inc
(4100 E. Lombard Street , Baltimore, MD, 21224) |
$200.00 | 10/20/2009 | Business Entity
Remarks: fundraiser |
| Oaks, Nathaniel Committee To Re-Elect | Eldorado Lounge, Inc
(4100 E. Lombard Street , Baltimore, MD, 21224) |
$500.00 | 10/19/2008 | Business Entity
Remarks: contribution |
| Oaks, Nathaniel Committee To Re-Elect | Eldorado Lounge, Inc
(4100 E. Lombard Street , Baltimore, MD, 21224) |
$1,000.00 | 01/08/2007 | Ticket purchases by Business Entity
Remarks: donation |
| Oaks, Nathaniel Committee To Re-Elect | Eldorado Lounge
( 4100 E. Lombard St., Baltimore, MD, 21224) |
$500.00 | 10/26/2004 | Ticket purchases by Business Entity
Remarks: donation |
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