HB 910 Maryland House of Delegates · 2025 Regular Session

Property Tax - Exemption for Blind Individuals - Alteration

HB 910 increases Maryland's property tax exemption for blind individuals from $15,000 to $40,000 on their primary residence. It directly affects blind homeowners and their surviving spouses (who haven't remarried) who own a dwelling house meeting specific occupancy and visual impairment criteria. The bill amends existing law to raise the exemption amount, which applies to the assessed value of the home, and continues the exemption to surviving spouses after the blind individual's death. The change takes effect June 1, 2025, for all taxable years beginning after June 30, 2025.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House of Delegates Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

May 2025

Introduced Jan 31, 2025 Signed May 6, 2025

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What changed between versions

First - Property Tax - Exemption for Blind Individuals - Alteration → Third - Property Tax - Exemption for Blind Individuals - Alteration · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill amends Maryland's property tax exemption for blind individuals by updating the definition of blindness to include specific visual acuity and field defect criteria, increasing the exemption amount from $15,000 to $40,000, and adding procedural language for the bill's adoption and approval. The changes ensure the exemption applies more clearly to individuals with varying degrees of vision impairment and provides a larger tax relief benefit.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on property tax exemptions for blind individuals, but the eligibility criteria for blindness have been expanded with more detailed visual acuity and field defect specifications.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of 'blind individual' to include specific criteria for central visual acuity (20/200 or less) and field defects where peripheral vision contracts to no more than 20 degrees.

FISCAL

Increased the property tax exemption amount from $15,000 to $40,000 for dwelling houses owned by blind individuals or their surviving spouses.

TECHNICAL

Added committee report status, house action, and reading dates to the bill header, along with signature lines for governor, speaker, and senate president.

Changed the bill title from 'HOUSE BILL 910' to 'CHAPTER ______' and updated the bill number reference from '5lr2300' to 'SB 911'.

Floor votes · House of Delegates Mar 9, 2025

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 6, 2025

Signed into law

Approved by the Governor - Chapter 284

executive

Apr 2, 2025

Lower · Passed

Returned Passed

lower

Apr 2, 2025

Upper · Passed

Third Reading Passed

upper

Mar 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed

upper

Mar 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable Report by Budget and Taxation

upper

Mar 17, 2025

Committee

Referred Budget and Taxation

upper

Mar 17, 2025

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed

lower

Mar 14, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed

lower

Mar 14, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable Report by Ways and Means

lower

Mar 9, 2025

House Of Delegates · Passed

House of Delegates Vote: pass (136-0-3)

house of delegates

Jan 31, 2025

Committee

First Reading Ways and Means

lower

8 primary · 0 co-sponsors