Maryland Bills

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 13, 2026

HB 1380: Health Insurance - Prescriptions for Gender-Affirming Care and Hormone Therapy - Coverage and Dispensing Requirements

HB 1380 requires health insurers, nonprofit health plans, and health maintenance organizations in Maryland to cover prescriptions for gender-affirming care and hormone therapy (defined as lawful treatment under state law) for up to a 12-month supply per prescription. It prohibits insurers from forcing patients to accept a full 12-month supply if the patient or their provider requests a smaller amount. Pharmacists must dispense qualifying prescriptions (after January 1, 2027) in quantities up to a 12-month supply unless exceptions apply, such as acute drug shortages (limiting to 90 days) or prior coverage in the same plan year. The bill applies to all health plans issued or renewed in Maryland on or after January 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

died · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 13, 2026

HB 1440: Maryland Medical Assistance Program and Health Insurance - Coverage and Utilization Review - Drugs Reviewed by the Prescription Drug Affordability Board

HB 1440 prevents Medicaid plans and certain health insurers from requiring extra approval steps (like prior authorization) or limiting coverage for prescription drugs reviewed by Maryland's Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB). It specifically applies when the PDAB hasn't determined a drug causes cost concerns, has made a policy recommendation, or set a payment limit for the drug. This directly affects patients using these medications by reducing barriers to accessing covered drugs. The bill updates Maryland's health insurance and Medicaid laws to enforce these restrictions on managed care organizations and insurers.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

died · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 13, 2026

HB 1487: Public Health – Baltimore City Mobile Infant and Maternal Health Pilot Program

HB 1487 establishes the "MomMobile" pilot program within Maryland’s Department of Health to deliver mobile postpartum care in Baltimore City. It directly affects residents in underserved Baltimore neighborhoods by providing on-site checkups, mental health screenings, and culturally competent care from midwives and doulas via mobile health units. The bill requires the Secretary to collaborate with Baltimore City Health Department to determine operating neighborhoods, funding partnerships, staffing, and evaluation metrics. Annual reports on program implementation must be submitted to the Governor and legislative committees starting in 2027. The program aims to reduce transportation barriers, improve visit attendance, and identify metrics for maternal health outcomes.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 13, 2026

HB 1562: Consumer Protection - Telecommunications Service Outage - Automatic Credit (Automatic Telecommunications Service Outage Credit Act)

HB 1562 requires Maryland telecommunications providers (like phone and internet companies) to automatically apply a service disruption credit to affected customers' accounts during outages lasting at least 3 consecutive hours that impact primary service locations. The credit must be at least one day's worth of the customer's recurring monthly service charge, applied without customer action within two billing cycles after service restoration. Violations are treated as unfair trade practices under Maryland law, subject to enforcement under the Consumer Protection Act. This bill directly affects retail customers and telecom providers operating in Maryland.

Topics ✓ Technology

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 13, 2026

HB 1572: Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard – Eligible Sources – Waste–to–Energy

HB 1572 amends Maryland's renewable energy law to include "waste-to-energy" as an eligible Tier 1 renewable energy source under the portfolio standard. The bill defines "waste-to-energy" as energy generated from facilities meeting six specific technical requirements: no combustion, continuous base-load capability, carbon recovery, no landfill byproducts, minimum 80% waste conversion efficiency, and compliance with EPA PFAS guidelines. This change directly affects waste-to-energy facilities that meet these criteria, allowing them to count toward utilities' renewable energy compliance requirements. The law takes effect for compliance years starting January 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

died · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 13, 2026

HB 983: State Tax Credits, Modifications, and Exemptions - Alterations and Repeal

HB 983 modifies Maryland's tax credit programs and exemptions. It terminates the Enterprise Zone Program and the One Maryland Economic Development Tax Credit Program on specific dates, ending eligibility for related tax benefits. The bill also limits annual claims for enterprise zone tax credits, restricts carryforwards for film production tax credits, and repeals sales tax exemptions for concrete, telecom equipment, and construction materials. Additionally, it alters eligibility rules for certain vehicle tax credits and ends property tax credits tied to enterprise zones.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes ✗ Housing

died · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 13, 2026

HB 1493: Charles County - Student Bus Transportation Providers - Provider Displacement

HB 1493 requires the Charles County Board of Education to provide written notice and hold a public hearing before displacing a company currently providing student bus transportation in the county. Specifically, the board must send 45-day written notice via first-class mail to affected companies and hold a public hearing with two weeks of newspaper notice. The bill also mandates that the board provide written notice of displacement by registered mail within one year of the hearing, with a minimum 2-year buffer before displacement, unless the board compensates the displaced company for two years of gross receipts or reaches an agreement with them. This bill directly affects student bus transportation providers in Charles County and the county school board.

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 13, 2026

HB 1268: Environmental Permits - Requirements for Burden Analysis, Issuance and Renewal, and Public Participation (Cumulative Harms for Environmental Restoration for Improving Shared Health - CHERISH Our Communities Act)

HB 1268 requires new or renewed environmental permits for facilities in Maryland neighborhoods identified as "at-risk" (based on high pollution levels or proximity to pollution sources like power plants or landfills) to include a "burden report" detailing existing environmental health issues. The state Department of the Environment must deny permits if approval would worsen pollution stressors in these areas, using Maryland’s Environmental Justice Tool to define "at-risk" census tracts. It applies specifically to air quality permits for construction and water discharge permits for facilities like power plants, waste sites, or mining operations. The bill mandates public participation in permit reviews for these facilities and requires the Department to document its assessment for judicial review.

Topics ✓ Environment

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 13, 2026

HB 1375: Health Insurance - Lyme Disease and Related Tick-Borne Illnesses - Long-Term Antibiotic Treatment

HB 1375 requires Maryland health insurers, nonprofit health plans, and health maintenance organizations to cover the full duration of long-term antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease and related tick-borne illnesses (like babesiosis or ehrlichiosis) when ordered by a licensed physician for therapeutic purposes. It prohibits these entities from imposing caps or time limits on such treatment or denying coverage solely because the treatment is labeled "unproven," "experimental," or "investigational." The law applies to all health insurance policies issued, delivered, or renewed in Maryland after January 1, 2027. This directly affects patients with chronic Lyme disease or related conditions who rely on extended antibiotic therapy and their insurers.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 13, 2026

HB 1424: Anne Arundel County - Community Sewerage Systems - Homeowners Association Control

HB 1424 allows homeowners associations (HOAs) in Anne Arundel County to manage, operate, and maintain community sewerage systems as "controlling authorities" under specific conditions. To qualify, the system must have been operational before January 1, 2026, and the HOA must charge mandatory sewer fees, maintain a capital reserve fund for future replacement, and secure approval from the county and Maryland Environmental Service. If an HOA fails to meet maintenance obligations or correct deficiencies, Maryland Environmental Service takes over operations and charges costs back to the HOA or lot owners. The bill directly affects HOAs and residents in Anne Arundel County with shared sewer systems, effective July 1, 2026.

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 13, 2026

HB 1565: Public Health - Obesity Management and Treatment Programs (Healthy Maryland for Every Body)

HB 1565 requires Maryland’s State Employee and Retiree Health and Welfare Benefits Program to include an obesity treatment and management program for state employees. It also mandates that private health insurers, nonprofit health plans, and health maintenance organizations cover evidence-based obesity treatment - including FDA-approved medications, metabolic/bariatric surgery, and CDC-approved behavioral programs - for individuals diagnosed with obesity, diabetes, or related conditions. The program must be developed with the Secretary of Health and follow the same coverage rules applied to other chronic diseases, avoiding stricter requirements. This bill directly affects state employees and covered individuals with qualifying health conditions by expanding access to medically necessary obesity care.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 13, 2026

HB 1607: Community Solar Energy Generating Systems - Prohibited Locations - Adjacent Parcels

HB 1607 removes a restriction preventing community solar projects from being placed on adjacent parcels if their combined capacity exceeded 5 megawatts. It allows such projects on adjacent land if the total capacity stays under 10 megawatts, provided at least 75% of the energy serves low- or moderate-income subscribers, or the site uses agrivoltaics (combining solar with agriculture). This directly affects community solar developers and property owners seeking to expand solar installations on connected properties. The bill maintains existing exceptions (like rooftop or industrial sites) while adding new conditions to support equitable access for underserved communities.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

Bill results