The Baltimore City Liquor License Board walked back changes that eliminated most evening inspections of bars after lawmakers expressed concern in a letter this month.

Liquor board Chair Granville Templeton III said in a hearing Friday with lawmakers that inspectors — who investigate noise violations, underage drinking and other concerns — would work day shifts from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Monday through Wednesday and a combination of day and night shifts Thursday through Saturday. Inspectors would work on Sundays for special events or urgent calls.

Templeton, who told lawmakers he wasn’t in charge of the schedule changes, said the decisions were driven by 311 call data in 2025.

Lawmakers expressed concern in a letter when the liquor board changed its schedule to weekdays from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and limited “targeted weekend enforcement” from 6 p.m.-2 a.m. Those changes went into effect Feb. 1, Templeton said, but have since been adjusted.

State Del. Regina Boyce, who represents portions of North and Central Baltimore, said she was taken aback by the initial change, noting that people are generally working, not at bars, during daytime hours.

“When things usually happen and quote unquote pop off, it does tend to be in the evenings, so I was very concerned,” Boyce said.

Templeton said he relied on his chief inspector, David McGinnis, who has been in his role since October 2025, to make a schedule that “works for everyone.” He said McGinnis used 311 data and considered what worked for his staff.

Although staff members will still work weekdays from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., there will also be inspectors working on Thursdays from 3-11 p.m., Fridays from 6 p.m.-2 a.m. and one shift on Saturday from 6 p.m.-2 a.m. Templeton added that shifts could adjust if needed, and people could be deployed at other times if there are urgent violations.

For their security, inspectors will go out at night in pairs.

Templeton also addressed the board’s participation in the Social Club Task Force, which inspects businesses such as bars, restaurants, strip clubs and smoke shops. The board used to work with the task force every week but shifted to once a month.

Templeton said he instructed the board to remain a part of the weekly task force, which includes Baltimore Police, the city fire marshal and the departments of Housing and Community Development and Health.

“We will be on that task force on a weekly basis,” he said. “A lot of our enforcement effort depends on those other city agencies, and they depend on us also.”

State Del. Luke Clippinger, who represents several nightlife districts in South Baltimore, said the committee of lawmakers may revisit this issue with the liquor board.

Councilman Mark Parker, one of the lawmakers who raised concerns about the schedule changes, said in a statement that he welcomes the rollback of “operational changes that were implemented earlier this month.”

“However, questions still remain regarding why the initial operational change was made, why it took this long for the policies to be rescinded, and how policymakers and community stakeholders will be incorporated into decisions of this magnitude moving forward,” Parker said.

Councilman Zac Blanchard, who represents Federal Hill and Mount Vernon, said he remained concerned.

“When you’ve broken something that wasn’t broken, I’m not sure why you wouldn’t just completely undo the change,” he said.