§ 20-105. Charles County

   (a) "Bottle club" defined. -- In this section, "bottle club" means:

   (1) Any person, corporation, partnership, club, or organization that:

      (i) Offers or provides any form of live entertainment to its members or to the public; and

      (ii) 1. Serves, sells, gives, or dispenses alcoholic beverages to its members or guests;

         2. Keeps any alcoholic beverages for its members or guests; or

         3. Allows members or guests to consume alcoholic beverages on its premises if the members or guests reserved, purchased, or brought the beverages to the premises;

   (2) Any club that serves, gives, or allows alcoholic beverages to be consumed by patrons after legal closing hours for establishments licensed under this article from supplies that the patrons previously purchased or reserved; or

   (3) Any club that sells, dispenses, serves, keeps, or allows any setups or other components of mixed alcoholic drinks to be consumed by its members or guests with privately obtained alcoholic beverages.

(b) Licensed establishments excluded. -- "Bottle club" does not include any establishment if a license for the premises had been issued under the provisions of this article.

(c) Applicability. -- This section applies only in Charles County.

(d) Restrictions -- In general. -- A bottle club may not sell, give, serve, dispense, keep, or allow to be consumed on its premises, or on premises under its control or possession, any alcoholic beverages, setups, or other component parts of mixed alcoholic drinks.

(e) Restrictions -- Exemptions. -- The following are exempted from the provisions of subsection (d) of this section so long as live entertainment is not offered or provided on more than 8 days in any calendar month:

   (1) The room of a registered guest in a hotel or motel;

   (2) Property owned by a volunteer fire company;

   (3) Property owned and operated by a community or homeowners association comprised solely of property owners in a single subdivision; or

   (4) Property owned by a bona fide religious institution.

(f) Penalties. -- A violation of this section is a misdemeanor and a fine of up to $ 10,000 or imprisonment for up to 2 years, or both, may be imposed.

HISTORY: 1989, ch. 5, § 15; 1994, ch. 68; 1997, ch. 661, § 1; 1998, ch. 21, § 1; ch. 427, § 1; 2000, ch. 476, § 1.