SB 358 requires Maryland's Governor to include $450,000 annually in the state budget for the Maryland Deaf Culture Digital Library starting in fiscal year 2026. It mandates the library to submit its annual operating budget to the State Library Agency by June 1 each year. The bill directs the library to conduct needs assessments for deaf patrons, develop staff training on deaf culture, create a coordination website, and form partnerships with deaf organizations and county libraries. This directly affects the library's operations, county library systems, and deaf and hard of hearing residents across Maryland.
HB 528 prohibits driving violations of Maryland Vehicle Law on private roadways within Baltimore County residential subdivisions or communities. It authorizes police officers to enforce vehicle laws (like speed limits or parking rules) on these private roads, directly affecting residents and drivers using neighborhood streets. The bill amends two specific sections of Maryland law (Transportation Code 11-205(c) and 21-101.1(b)(1)) to extend enforcement authority to these private residential areas. This creates a clear rule for compliance on private roads in Baltimore County neighborhoods, where such enforcement was previously unclear. The changes take effect October 1, 2025.
HB 415 establishes a Family Literacy Pilot Program in Maryland that allows incarcerated individuals to record themselves reading children's books to their children. The program, administered by the State Library Agency with input from correctional services, will operate in four selected correctional facilities (representing all regions, including one for women and one for men) and provide age-appropriate books in multiple languages. It requires written consent from custodial parents, handles book selection and recording logistics, and ensures the program is free for all participants. The State Library Agency must report on the program’s results by December 1, 2028, and the program will expire automatically on December 31, 2028.
This bill (SB 67) allows Maryland health occupations boards (like those licensing nurses or therapists) to add a voluntary "veteran status" notation to professional licenses, certificates, or registrations. Applicants can provide documentation (such as a DD-214 or state certification) and consent to have this notation included, which helps state and federal agencies determine eligibility for veterans' benefits. Boards must share relevant applicant information with benefits agencies upon request but cannot disclose it without consent. The change affects veterans applying for or renewing health profession licenses in Maryland.
HB 150 repeals a requirement that child care centers serving more than 20 children must maintain a ratio of at least one staff member certified in first aid and CPR for every 20 children. This change directly affects larger child care centers in Maryland by removing a specific staffing ratio mandate. The bill does not eliminate the underlying requirement for centers to have at least one certified staff member present for supervision (as specified in Section 9.5-404(b)(8)(i)), only the numerical ratio tied to center size. Other child care licensing rules, including safety standards and certification requirements, remain unchanged.
HB 197 requires Maryland’s State Department of Education to develop a comprehensive plan by July 1, 2026, for establishing Restorative Practices Schools. This plan must be created after consulting with schools already using restorative approaches, which focus on repairing harm through relationship-building rather than punitive discipline. County school boards would need to adopt this plan if they choose to implement restorative practices in their schools. The bill also prohibits corporal punishment in public schools and mandates annual, disaggregated data reports on discipline practices by race, disability, socioeconomic status, and other factors.
SB 789 modifies Maryland's Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program by requiring the Higher Education Commission to designate certain private colleges as "hunger-free campuses" while explicitly prohibiting those same private institutions from receiving grant funding. The bill adds specific requirements for designation, including establishing a hunger task force, designating staff to assist students with SNAP enrollment, providing campus food pantries, and conducting annual hunger surveys. It also adjusts funding levels, mandating $150,000 annually for fiscal years 2023-2026 and $250,000 for fiscal years 2027 onward in the state budget. This bill directly affects private higher education institutions by creating eligibility for designation but blocking their access to program grants.
SB 529 requires engineering license applicants in Maryland to pass a basic "Fundamentals of Engineering" exam administered by the State Board before taking the main "Principles and Practice of Engineering" exam. This change affects individuals seeking to become licensed professional engineers in Maryland. The bill modifies existing licensure rules to mandate this two-step exam sequence, while also clarifying how college engineering coursework may count toward the required work experience. The new requirement takes effect October 1, 2025.
SB 281, the Transportation Equality for Service Members Act, updates Maryland’s legal definitions to ensure transportation benefits apply consistently to all uniformed services. It expands the definition of "veteran" under state law to include members of the Public Health Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) who meet federal veteran criteria, directly affecting these service members and veterans in transportation-related programs. The bill amends specific sections of Maryland’s transportation and state government codes (notably Section 1-117) to align definitions of "uniformed services," "service member," and "veteran" with federal standards, ensuring eligibility for transportation benefits like parking and transit access.
HB 1060, the "Judicial and Public Safety for Service Members Act," updates Maryland law to ensure all uniformed service members (not just armed forces veterans) receive consistent legal protections across multiple areas. It revises definitions to include all uniformed services in judicial proceedings, corrections, criminal law, family law, public safety, and real property regulations. Key changes include adding new provisions like Section 8-101(a-1) in Courts and Judicial Proceedings and updating references to "veteran" and "uniformed services" throughout the code. The bill directly affects service members and veterans by aligning existing state laws with broader protections for uniformed service members. It makes no new benefits but ensures current legal frameworks apply uniformly to all service members in relevant state court and administrative processes.
SB 47 updates Maryland's Physical Therapy Act by clarifying the definition of "physical therapist assistant" to require national exam passage and board licensing. It revises the State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners to include nine members (increasing from eight), with two licensed physical therapist assistants on the board (up from one), alongside five physical therapists and two consumer members. The bill also changes license renewal notices to be sent by email by default (unless a licensee requests first-class mail), updating how the board communicates with license holders. These changes directly affect physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and board members under Maryland's licensing system.
HB 699 defines "honorable discharge" for Maryland veterans' state benefits to include discharges that were less than honorable due to specific, protected factors. It directly affects veterans who received such discharges solely because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, or based on disclosures related to those factors (including statements/acts prohibited at the time), or because of PTSD/TBI diagnoses or sexual trauma disclosures made at VA facilities. The bill requires veterans to submit documentation supporting their discharge basis to access state benefits. It amends Maryland law to take effect October 1, 2025.
