Department of Commerce - Complaint Portal and Annual Report

HB 1038 requires Maryland's Department of Commerce to create an online portal where businesses and nonprofits can report when government units (like counties, cities, or state agencies) take longer than 60 days to process licenses, permits, or registrations. The portal must be operational by September 2025, with complaints anonymized to protect privacy. The Department must submit an annual report to legislative committees detailing complaints and identifying the responsible government unit, starting September 2025. This bill directly affects businesses applying for permits and the government units that process them.