Maryland Bills

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 6, 2025

HB 324: County Boards of Education - Antibias Training for Members - Requirement (County Board Member Antibias Training Act)

HB 324 requires every member of a Maryland county board of education to complete antibias training at least once during their term, starting July 1, 2025. The training must address bias related to race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, and other protected characteristics, and is separate from existing training for school staff. It mandates that boards develop or update training using state-developed guidelines focused on cultural awareness, reducing implicit bias, and incorporating real-world incident data. This law directly affects county board members, not school employees or students.

Topics ✓ Education

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 6, 2025

HB 1124: Dorchester County - Well and On-Site Sewage Disposal Activities - Privatization Program

HB 1124 authorizes Dorchester County to request the Maryland Department of the Environment to establish a privatization program for approving well and on-site sewage disposal system activities. The program would allow licensed private environmental health specialists (with relevant experience) to perform these tasks under state oversight, replacing direct county or local health department approvals. Key provisions require the Department to set program duration, specify covered activities, mandate annual audits, establish reporting rules, and include consumer protections like fee caps. The program applies only to Dorchester County and expires automatically on June 30, 2028, after a 3-year term. It directly affects Dorchester County residents relying on these systems and the county government managing local approvals.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 6, 2025

HB 833: Carroll County - Public Facilities Bond

HB 833 authorizes Carroll County to issue up to $36.9 million in general obligation bonds to fund public infrastructure projects, including water and sewer systems, roads, schools, and equipment for volunteer fire departments. The bill also permits the use of bond funds for agricultural land preservation easements. Carroll County would repay the bonds through annual property taxes, and the bonds themselves are exempt from state and local taxation. This directly affects Carroll County residents via property taxes and the provision of public services.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Transportation

signed · Maryland · Senate May 6, 2025

SB 102: Insurance Pooling - Public Entity - Definition

SB 102 amends Maryland law to include "Resilience Authorities" as a type of "public entity" eligible for insurance pooling. This change directly affects Resilience Authorities - local government-created entities focused on infrastructure resilience projects like flood protection or climate adaptation - and allows them to join existing insurance pools with other public entities. The bill updates the definition in the Insurance Article (§19-602) to explicitly list Resilience Authorities, while referencing their definition in the Local Government Article (§22-101). This expands access to shared insurance purchasing without creating new requirements, simply clarifying who qualifies under current pooling rules.

Topics ✓ Environment

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 6, 2025

HB 939: Maryland Commission for Women - Maryland Collaborative to Advance Implementation of Coverage of Over-the-Counter Birth Control

HB 939 requires the Maryland Commission for Women to establish a collaborative group focused on improving access to over-the-counter birth control. The collaborative, including representatives from health departments, insurance, pharmacies, reproductive health organizations, and consumer groups, will study and recommend ways to implement existing coverage requirements. Specifically, it will examine pharmacy coverage, point-of-sale options, public health initiatives for underserved individuals, and consumer education to enhance access for Maryland residents who currently face barriers to obtaining over-the-counter birth control.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 6, 2025

HB 1148: Residential Condominium Unit Insurance - Lapses in Coverage - Prohibition on Denial

HB 1148 prohibits Maryland property and casualty insurers from denying residential condominium unit insurance coverage based solely on a prior temporary lapse in coverage. It specifically prevents denial if the lapse was the applicant’s choice (not the insurer’s action) and unrelated to the applicant’s claims history or losses. This directly affects condo owners seeking new insurance policies who previously faced refusal due to short coverage gaps. The law takes effect October 1, 2025, and applies to all property/casualty insurers in Maryland.

Topics ✓ Housing

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 6, 2025

HB 945: Election Law - Gubernatorial Primary Election - Date

HB 945 changes Maryland's law for the gubernatorial primary election date, moving it from the "last fourth Tuesday" in June to simply the "fourth Tuesday" in June during even-numbered years when a governor is elected. This bill directly affects voters and candidates in Maryland's gubernatorial races, as it standardizes the primary date without the "last" qualifier. The key provision amends Section 8-201 of Maryland's Election Law to specify the fourth Tuesday in June as the fixed date for these primaries. The change takes effect October 1, 2025.

signed · Maryland · Senate May 6, 2025

SB 378: State Library Agency - Family Literacy Pilot Program - Establishment

SB 378 establishes a Family Literacy Pilot Program through the Maryland State Library Agency, allowing incarcerated individuals to record themselves reading children's books to their children. The program directly affects incarcerated parents, their children, and correctional facilities participating in the pilot. Key provisions include selecting four facilities (representing Maryland's regions and including both male and female facilities), providing free children's books in multiple languages, securing parental permission, and enabling incarcerated individuals to prepare and share recordings. The State Library Agency must report on the program's results to the General Assembly by December 1, 2028, and the program expires automatically on December 31, 2028.

Topics ✓ Education

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 6, 2025

HB 600: Educational Equality for Service Members Act

HB 600, the "Educational Equality for Service Members Act," updates Maryland's education laws to ensure eligibility for educator certification applies equally to all uniformed services (including National Guard, reserves, and other service branches), not just the traditional armed forces. It revises definitions throughout education statutes to replace "military" with "uniformed services" and clarifies that "veteran" includes those discharged within one year for certification purposes. The bill maintains the existing requirement for active service members, eligible veterans, and their spouses to hold a valid out-of-state license and meet basic qualifications to qualify for expedited certification. This change directly affects service members and veterans seeking teaching careers in Maryland by aligning certification pathways with current service definitions.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Veterans

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 6, 2025

HB 251: Human Services – Local Departments of Social Services – Audits

HB 251 changes how often the Office of the Inspector General audits local social services departments in Maryland, shifting from "at least once every 3 years" to requiring audits "at an interval ranging from 3 to 4 years" unless more frequent audits are needed. The bill mandates that audit frequency be determined based on risk factors, including the department's program risks, past audit findings, and other relevant risk considerations. It also requires the Inspector General to prepare and distribute written audit reports to the local board and governing authority. This bill directly affects all local departments of social services and the Office of the Inspector General.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 6, 2025

HB 100: Insurance Pooling - Public Entity - Definition

HB 100 amends Maryland law to include "Resilience Authorities" in the legal definition of "public entity" for insurance pooling purposes. This change directly affects Resilience Authorities - local government entities formed to manage resilience infrastructure projects - by allowing them to join group insurance pools with other public entities. The bill modifies Section 19-602 of the Insurance Article to add Resilience Authorities as a qualifying entity under the definition, enabling them to collectively purchase casualty, property, or health insurance. It does not alter insurance requirements but expands eligibility for existing pooling mechanisms. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.

signed · Maryland · Senate May 6, 2025

SB 252: Child Care Centers - Certificated Staff Ratio Requirement - Alteration

SB 252 removes a requirement that child care centers in Maryland serving more than 20 children must have at least one staff member certified in first aid and CPR for every 20 children. This repeal eliminates a specific ratio rule related to emergency medical training for staff. The bill does not change other safety or operational standards for child care centers, such as emergency plans or staff age requirements. The change applies to centers currently serving more than 20 children under Maryland's licensing regulations.

Topics ✗ Labor & Employment

Bill results