Maryland Bills

died · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 19, 2026

HB 1548: Real Property - Residential Lease - Terminology

HB 1548 replaces the terms "landlord" and "tenant" with "rental property owner" and "resident" throughout Maryland's residential lease laws. The bill updates terminology in numerous code sections across housing, real property, and business regulations to reflect these changes. It directly affects all parties involved in residential leases - property owners and residents - by standardizing the language used in legal documents and proceedings. This is a purely terminological adjustment with no change to existing tenant or owner rights or responsibilities.

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 19, 2026

HB 877: Institutions of Postsecondary Education - Institutional Debt - Report

HB 877 requires Maryland colleges and universities to submit annual reports to the Maryland Higher Education Commission by October 1st, starting in 2027, detailing student institutional debt. The reports must include total student enrollment broken down by demographic groups (like race, age, and residency), total debt amounts by type (tuition, fees, room/board), collection status (e.g., good standing vs. past due), debt charged off as uncollectible, and details on payment plans or debt collection efforts. Institutions face potential civil penalties for failing to submit reports or providing inaccurate data, with the Commission required to follow specific notice and hearing procedures before imposing penalties. This bill aims to increase transparency about student debt practices across Maryland's higher education institutions.

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 19, 2026

HB 1058: Youth Delinquency Prevention Fund - Establishment

HB 1058 establishes Maryland's Youth Delinquency Prevention Fund to provide grants to community-based programs, including youth service bureaus, that offer preventive services like delinquency prevention, youth suicide prevention, substance use prevention, and youth development. The fund, administered by the state office, is funded through state budget appropriations and interest earnings, and it must be used exclusively for these preventive services without replacing existing funding. The bill requires annual reports detailing grant distribution, the number of children served (disaggregated by age, region, race, and ethnicity), and whether served youth later interacted with justice systems. The fund is non-lapsing, meaning money remains available year-to-year and cannot revert to the General Fund.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Criminal Justice

died · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 19, 2026

HB 995: Health Occupations - Behavioral Health Care Providers - Use of Artificial Intelligence

HB 995 prohibits behavioral health care providers (like therapists and counselors) in Maryland from using artificial intelligence for direct patient care, including assessment, diagnosis, treatment, or therapeutic communication. The bill allows AI for administrative tasks such as scheduling appointments or managing records, but requires providers to: comply with confidentiality laws, sign vendor agreements preventing data misuse, and obtain written patient consent about AI risks. Providers must also independently verify AI-generated clinical data before use. The law takes effect October 1, 2026, and applies to all licensed behavioral health providers in Maryland.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✗ Technology

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 19, 2026

HB 1113: Vehicle Laws - Bus Obstruction Monitoring Systems and Bus Stop Zones

HB 1113 updates Maryland's vehicle laws to clarify enforcement of bus stop zones. It prohibits drivers from stopping, standing, or parking in a bus stop zone when a transit vehicle is present, with two exceptions: (1) if authorized by the local jurisdiction, or (2) if actively loading/unloading passengers with hazard lights on. The bill also revises legal references from "bus lane" to "bus obstruction" monitoring systems in several transportation and court codes to align terminology. This directly affects drivers who park in bus zones and transit authorities enforcing these rules. The key change is a clearer, enforceable rule for bus stop zone access during active transit vehicle use.

Topics ✓ Transportation

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 19, 2026

HB 1108: Labor and Employment - Greenhouse Workers - Collective Bargaining and Heat Protection

HB 1108 grants collective bargaining rights to workers in Maryland greenhouses (controlled-environment agricultural operations), allowing them to form unions and negotiate wages, hours, and working conditions with employers. The bill requires the state Labor Secretary to establish regulations for union elections, certification, and resolving bargaining disputes, while mandating greenhouse employers to provide rest breaks during extreme heat to prevent heat-related illness. This law directly affects greenhouse workers and their employers, creating a formal process for union representation and heat protection. It amends Maryland's labor code to include these specific protections for greenhouse workers, who previously lacked these rights under state law.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

died · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 19, 2026

HB 41: Baltimore County Board of Education - Alterations of Elected Member Districts and Establishment of Redistricting Process

HB 41 changes how Baltimore County School Board members are elected by replacing the current system of electing members from council districts with a new redistricting process. Starting with the 2034 general election, seven elected members will be chosen from new school board districts established through a redistricting process after each U.S. census. The bill requires the Baltimore County delegation chair to introduce redistricting legislation following the 2030 census, ensuring districts have roughly equal populations. This directly affects Baltimore County residents who vote for school board members and sets new rules for residency requirements and term limits.

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

HB 49: Public Health - Abortion (Heartbeat Bill)

HB 49 restricts abortion access by requiring physicians (not other providers) to perform abortions and banning procedures before a detectable fetal heartbeat is confirmed. It defines "fetal heartbeat" as cardiac activity visible via ultrasound and mandates physicians use specific medical methods to detect it, including documenting gestational age and test results. Exceptions apply for medical emergencies, requiring written documentation certifying the necessity. The bill repeals prior abortion regulations and shifts enforcement to private civil lawsuits, not government action. It directly affects physicians performing abortions, pregnant patients seeking care, and healthcare facilities.

Topics ✗ Healthcare

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 19, 2026

HB 256: Motor Vehicles – Speed Monitoring Systems – Safety Corridors (Vulnerable Road User Protection Act of 2026)

HB 256, the "Vulnerable Road User Protection Act of 2026," authorizes Maryland’s State Highway Administration and local jurisdictions to install speed monitoring systems in designated "safety corridors" to protect pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users in high-risk areas. It amends traffic code provisions to create a new category for "safety corridor speed monitoring systems," requiring citations for violations to direct fines to the District Court (not local agencies) and mandating that collected funds support public safety programs like pedestrian safety initiatives. The bill specifies that local governments may recover implementation costs from fines but must use remaining funds exclusively for public safety, not general revenue. This directly affects drivers in safety corridor zones and local governments managing such systems.

Topics ✓ Transportation

died · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 19, 2026

HB 407: Prince George's County - Alcoholic Beverages Licenses - Prohibition on Transfer of Class A Beer, Wine, and Liquor License PG 314-26

HB 407 prohibits the transfer or sale of Class A alcohol licenses (for beer, wine, and liquor) in Prince George's County. It requires current license holders to return licenses if they expire or are no longer needed, and bans the county board from reissuing returned licenses. This applies specifically to existing retail license holders in Prince George's County and takes effect July 1, 2026. The bill modifies Maryland’s alcohol licensing code to restrict these transactions within the county.

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 19, 2026

HB 29: Public High Schools - Post College and Career Readiness Pathways - Alterations

HB 29 requires Maryland county school boards to provide free access to three types of post-college and career readiness pathways for students who meet statewide college and career readiness standards: competitive college prep programs (like IB or AP), early college/dual enrollment options, and career/technology education programs. It allows counties to set income eligibility guidelines for the college prep pathway costs (but mandates free access for students at or below federal poverty level), while requiring all other pathways to be free for all qualifying students. The bill also mandates schools to offer counseling to help students choose pathways, ensure graduation requirements are met through these pathways, and maintain full student services regardless of pathway enrollment. This applies to all Maryland public high school students meeting the readiness standards, effective July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Education

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 19, 2026

HJ 5: Governor's Salary Commission - Salary Recommendations for Governor and Lieutenant Governor

This House Joint Resolution (HJ 5) sets the annual salaries for Maryland's Governor and Lieutenant Governor for their 2027-2031 term, as required by the Maryland Constitution. It establishes a four-year salary schedule: the Governor's salary starts at $195,000 (first year) and increases to $210,000 (fourth year), while the Lieutenant Governor's starts at $175,000 and rises to $185,000. The resolution must be approved by the General Assembly within 50 days; if not, the Governor's Salary Commission's recommended amounts automatically take effect on January 20, 2027. The bill directly affects the Governor and Lieutenant Governor by defining their compensation under constitutional requirements.

Bill results