Maryland Bills

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 20, 2026

HB 373: State Board of Dental Examiners - Disciplinary Action and Unannounced Inspections

HB 373 allows Maryland's State Board of Dental Examiners to conduct unannounced inspections of non-hospital dental offices to verify compliance with CDC infection control guidelines. It updates disciplinary rules for dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants by adding failure to follow these guidelines as grounds for license denial, suspension, or revocation. The bill also requires certified expanded function dental assistants to be properly trained and supervised, and prohibits employers from using uncertified assistants or violating specific practice standards. These changes directly affect dental professionals and their practices across Maryland.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 20, 2026

HB 166: State Government - Henrietta Lacks Commission - Establishment (Henrietta Lacks Commission of Maryland Act of 2026)

HB 166 establishes the Henrietta Lacks Commission in Maryland to address the legacy of Henrietta Lacks and the ethical use of HeLa cells. The commission, composed of appointed state officials and representatives from health, tourism, and economic development agencies, will review medical research ethics, promote education about Lacks' story, curate tributes to her, integrate her legacy into tourism, and support economic development in Dundalk's Turner Station community. It must submit annual reports to the governor and legislature starting in 2027. This bill creates a procedural framework for oversight and commemoration but does not enact new regulations or funding.

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 20, 2026

HB 536: Employment Discrimination - Reasonable Accommodations - Disabilities Due to Childbirth, Menopause, and Related Medical Conditions

HB 536 expands Maryland's employment discrimination protections to require reasonable accommodations for temporary disabilities related to childbirth, menopause, and lactation. It classifies these conditions as temporary disabilities under existing leave and benefits policies, mandating that employers treat them the same as other temporary disabilities for leave, seniority, and reinstatement. The bill requires employers to explore specific accommodations like modified duties, flexible hours, or transfers to less strenuous roles when requested. It also mandates employers to provide clear information about these rights to employees and allows health care provider certifications for accommodations, effective October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 20, 2026

HB 534: Nonpublic Schools - Transcripts - Prohibition on Punitive Measures Related to Student Debt

HB 534 prohibits nonpublic schools participating in Maryland’s state-funded education programs from withholding transcripts or taking punitive actions against students (or their parents/guardians) due to unpaid debts owed to the school. Specifically, it bans schools from refusing to issue transcripts, conditioning transcript access on debt payment, charging extra fees for transcripts related to debt, or using transcripts as a debt collection tool. The law directly affects students and families at participating nonpublic schools, ensuring transcript access remains separate from financial obligations. It defines "debt" to exclude standard transcript fees, clarifying that schools cannot charge additional costs for transcripts tied to unpaid balances. This policy change ensures transcript access is not withheld as a financial penalty.

Topics ✓ Education

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 20, 2026

HB 628: Human Services - Foster Care Transition Grant Program - Establishment

HB 628 establishes a program providing $1,000 monthly payments for three years to young adults who were in out-of-home care (like foster care) on their 18th birthday, with birthdays on or after October 1, 2026. Payments cannot be counted as income for Medicaid, the Maryland Earned Income Tax Credit, or state/federal financial aid for education. The Department of Human Services must report annually on participants' income, location, employment, and housing status starting October 2027. The program will run from October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2031, with automatic termination after that date.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 20, 2026

HB 713: Cecil County - Orphans' Court Judges - Compensation

HB 713 establishes minimum salary levels for judges of Cecil County's Orphans' Court, setting a base annual compensation of at least $11,000 (determined by the county council), with a separate minimum of $1,500 annually for the Chief Judge and a $1,500 annual travel allowance for all judges. The bill directly affects Cecil County Orphans' Court judges, including those serving terms beginning after its effective date. Key provisions include setting these minimums through county council action, with changes taking effect for fiscal year 2027. The bill amends Maryland's Estates and Trusts code to formalize these compensation standards.

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 20, 2026

HB 691: State Government - Procedures - Permitting Efficiency for Housing Development Projects

HB 691 requires Maryland state agencies that issue housing construction permits to create streamlined permitting processes. Key provisions include allowing multiple permits to be handled simultaneously where possible, establishing predictable sequencing for approvals, and creating clear pathways for faster reviews. The State Housing Ombudsman must ensure consistency across different agencies’ processes and facilitate coordination with local governments. This bill directly affects state agencies, local governments (through potential delegation of permit tasks), and developers seeking housing construction permits, with implementation required by October 2026 and a reporting deadline for the Ombudsman in December 2027.

Topics ✓ Housing

passed · Maryland · Senate Mar 20, 2026

SB 471: Circuit Court Clerks and Registers of Wills – Maximum Salary

SB 471 updates salary rules for Maryland circuit court clerks and registers of wills by replacing fixed salary amounts with a new formula tied to the state's Standard and Bargaining Salary Scale. Specifically, it sets their maximum annual salary at Grade 26, Step 20 of this scale (currently $146,500), determined by the Board of Public Works based on workload and fees collected. The bill removes Baltimore City’s outdated $12,000 minimum salary requirement for registers of wills. Crucially, salary changes during an official’s term do not apply to them - only taking effect at the start of the next term. This applies to all clerks and registers elected or appointed after the bill’s effective date of October 1, 2026.

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 19, 2026

HB 1472: Better Small Business Employee Benefit Act of 2026

HB 1472, the Better Small Business Employee Benefit Act of 2026, exempts professional employer organizations (PEOs) from certain health benefit plan requirements when providing coverage to small employers in Maryland. The bill requires PEOs to provide written disclosure of specific plan details to small businesses before offering health benefits. This change modifies Maryland’s insurance laws to remove the requirement for PEOs to offer plans through the state’s health benefit exchange, while ensuring transparency for small employers. The bill directly affects small businesses that use PEOs for employee health benefits and the PEOs themselves.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 19, 2026

HB 1281: Health - Abortion - Ultrasound and Wait Time

HB 1281 requires that a transabdominal ultrasound be performed before most abortions in Maryland, with specific standards for the procedure and information provided to the patient. The ultrasound must include fetal measurements and images when viewable, and the woman must be offered the option to view the image, receive a printed copy, or hear the fetal heartbeat - though she is not required to accept these. Abortion providers cannot perform the procedure within 24 hours of the ultrasound for most patients, but the wait time is reduced to 2 hours for women living 100+ miles from the facility. Facilities must retain a printed copy of the ultrasound for at least 7 years, and violations may result in a $2,500 penalty.

Topics ✗ Healthcare

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 19, 2026

HB 1126: Health Insurance and Managed Care Organizations - Laboratory Services - Contract Providers

This Maryland bill (HB 1126) prevents health insurers and managed care plans from restricting patients' choice of laboratories. It requires insurers to allow patients to select any participating lab without limitations, prohibits denying labs participation if they agree to plan terms (like service standards and reimbursement rates), and bans extra fees for lab services that other patients don't pay. The law applies to all health benefit plans covering laboratory services in Maryland and takes effect October 1, 2026. It directly affects insurers, participating labs, and patients seeking lab services.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 19, 2026

HB 1401: Public Health - Abortion - Informed Consent

HB 1401 requires healthcare providers performing abortions to inform patients about specific risks - including depression, infection, hemorrhage, breast cancer, future pregnancy dangers, infertility, and regret - and obtain their signed, written consent before the procedure. This applies directly to qualified providers (like doctors or clinics) offering abortion services and affects patients seeking those services in Maryland. The bill mandates providers to document the signed consent in the patient’s medical record. It takes effect October 1, 2026, and updates Maryland’s health code to require this informed consent process for abortion procedures.

Topics ✗ Healthcare

Bill results