UPDATE: The County Council has passed the NOTE Act.

Original story below…

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NOTTINGHAM, MD—Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski on Monday announced plans to introduce the New Opportunities for Tourism and Entertainment (NOTE) Act, which will enable more restaurants and bars to offer live music and entertainment across Baltimore County and support the recovery of musicians and performers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Local musicians and performers entertain, inspire, and help make communities more vibrant. This pandemic has upended their way of life, and this effort creates new opportunities to help them recover as quickly as possible,” said Olszewski. “By helping expand the work we’ve already done in Catonsville, this legislation will create new opportunities for the small businesses and musicians across Baltimore County.”

Under existing zoning laws, hundreds of Baltimore County establishments are not permitted to host live musical entertainment. As a result, local performers and artists are missing out on valuable performance opportunities while County businesses lose potential revenue.

The NOTE Act will significantly expand the number of businesses eligible to apply for a Live Musical Entertainment permit and will allow most restaurants, retail, and other businesses in Baltimore County to host live music.

Based on a pilot launched in Catonsville and Arbutus to support the live music industry last year, the NOTE Act will expand this program countywide.

The bill will be introduced in the County Council session scheduled for Monday, March 15.