Maryland Bills

signed · Maryland · Senate May 6, 2025

SB 337: Elections - Local Boards of Elections - Open Meeting Requirements (Local Boards of Elections Transparency Act)

SB 337 requires Maryland's local election boards and canvassing boards to publicly post meeting agendas, summaries of materials, and public testimony online at least 48 hours before meetings (or as soon as possible in emergencies). It mandates live video streaming of meetings (excluding off-site events, site visits, or inspections) and requires maintaining unedited video archives for five years. These provisions directly affect local election administration bodies across Maryland, aiming to increase transparency in election processes by making meeting details and proceedings more accessible to the public.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 6, 2025

HB 664: Health Occupations - Licensed Direct-Entry Midwives - Disciplinary Actions

HB 664 clarifies the disciplinary actions the Maryland State Board of Nursing can take against applicants or licensed direct-entry midwives who violate specific standards. It updates existing law to explicitly list 28 grounds for discipline, including fraud (e.g., falsifying license applications), criminal convictions, failure to report child abuse, practicing while impaired, violating health record requirements, and exceeding scope of practice. The bill does not create new penalties but makes the existing disciplinary process clearer for midwives and the Board. It directly affects midwives seeking licensure or currently holding a license in Maryland, with changes taking effect October 1, 2025.

signed · Maryland · Senate May 6, 2025

SB 341: Baltimore City - Raffles - Organizations Affiliated With a Professional Major League Baseball Team

SB 341 authorizes organizations affiliated with Baltimore's professional major league baseball team (which plays home games in the city) to conduct raffles under specific rules. These groups must obtain a permit from Baltimore City, spend most of their funds locally on charitable, civic, or youth sports purposes, and use electronic ticket sales within Baltimore City boundaries. The bill modifies Maryland's raffle laws (adding Section 13-505.1) to create this exception, while maintaining restrictions against personal profit from raffles or transferring permits. It directly affects MLB-affiliated organizations seeking to raise funds through raffles in Baltimore City.

signed · Maryland · Senate May 6, 2025

SB 491: General Provisions - Veterans Benefits - Honorable Discharge

SB 491 defines "honorable discharge" for Maryland state benefits to include discharges solely based on sexual orientation or gender identity, discharges related to statements/acts about orientation/identity (if prohibited at the time), or discharges tied to PTSD/TBI diagnoses or disclosed sexual trauma at VA facilities. This change directly affects veterans applying for Maryland state programs like housing, education, or employment benefits. Veterans must now submit documentation explaining their discharge basis to qualify under this expanded definition. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Veterans

signed · Maryland · Senate May 6, 2025

SB 471: Vehicle Laws - Motor Vehicle Administration - 3-Hour Roadway Safety Driving Education Program - Requirements

SB 471 requires Maryland’s Motor Vehicle Administration to establish a mandatory 3-hour Roadway Safety Driving Education Program for new driver’s license applicants who have never held a license issued by Maryland or another state. The program must cover topics like driving impairment hazards, legal consequences of alcohol/drug-related violations, and the medical effects of substances on driving. It replaces previous requirements for alcohol education and applies specifically to applicants qualifying under Section 16-105(f)(3) of Maryland law. The bill amends Vehicle Laws to formalize this program as a condition for license issuance, with fees collected not being distributed to general revenue accounts.

Topics ✓ Transportation

signed · Maryland · Senate May 6, 2025

SB 278: Tax Relief and State Personnel Equality for Service Members Act

SB 278 expands Maryland's definition of "uniformed services" to include members of the Public Health Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), previously limited to only the armed forces. This change updates how "veteran" status is defined in state law, ensuring these service members qualify for state benefits. The bill requires Maryland's tax and pension programs to apply equally to all uniformed services, eliminating prior exclusions for non-military personnel. It directly affects service members in the Public Health Service and NOAA, granting them parity in state tax relief, pensions, and other benefits.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Veterans

signed · Maryland · Senate May 6, 2025

SB 309: Department of Veterans and Military Families - Communications, Outreach, and Advocacy Program - Alterations

SB 309 requires Maryland's Department of Veterans and Military Families to create an online registry for veterans, military service members, and their families. The registry will collect basic contact information (name and email) and optional status details (such as veteran status, active duty service, or family relationship). It must provide updates on available services, benefits, and news relevant to these groups. The department must also report annual metrics on registry participation - including total users, status breakdowns, and new/removed users - to the Governor and legislature by December 31 each year. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Veterans

signed · Maryland · Senate May 6, 2025

SB 313: Election Law - Postelection Tabulation Audits - Risk-Limiting Audits

SB 313 requires Maryland's State Board of Elections, working with local election boards, to conduct risk-limiting audits after every statewide election instead of the previous manual audit requirement. These audits use statistical methods to verify election results by examining a statistically significant sample of votes, focusing on at least one statewide contest and one local contest per county. The bill also allows but does not require an automated software audit of electronic ballot images after statewide elections. This change directly affects election officials responsible for post-election verification and aims to improve the accuracy verification process for statewide election results.

signed · Maryland · Senate May 6, 2025

SB 208: Human Services - Maryland Assistive Technology Program - Establishment

SB 208 establishes the Maryland Assistive Technology Program within the Department of Disabilities to provide devices and services for Maryland residents with disabilities. The bill creates a permanent "Assistive Technology Services Fund" to cover program costs, using revenue from assessments, training, and digital accessibility services - plus interest earnings, which must be credited back to the fund. It requires the program to increase access to devices, support underrepresented groups, and operate statewide lending libraries for short-term device trials. The fund cannot replace other funding but will directly support program operations like device purchases and training.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Technology

signed · Maryland · Senate May 6, 2025

SB 282: Recreational Equality for Service Members Act

SB 282, the "Recreational Equality for Service Members Act," expands access to recreational benefits for active-duty service members, veterans, and their vehicles. It modifies Maryland law to exempt these individuals from paying certain entrance fees when entering state parks (under Section 9-901) and prevents fishing licenses in tidal waters from lapsing during active duty (Section 1-405). The bill also broadens the definition of "veteran" to include members of the Public Health Service and NOAA Commissioned Corps, aligning with federal definitions. These changes directly affect uniformed service members, veterans, and their families seeking access to state parks and fishing opportunities.

Topics ✓ Veterans

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 6, 2025

HB 983: Election Law - Local Boards of Elections - Language Assistance Program

HB 983 requires Maryland's State Board of Elections to determine if local election boards need to provide language assistance based on census data showing significant limited English proficiency among voters. Specifically, a county must provide assistance if either: (1) over 2% of its voting-age population (but at least 100 people) shares a non-English language and has limited English proficiency, or (2) over 4,000 people share a non-English language and have limited English proficiency. Local election boards must then provide translated voting materials, bilingual election judges where available, and multilingual signage at polling places in designated languages. This policy directly affects voters with limited English proficiency in qualifying counties, ensuring access to election materials and assistance.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 6, 2025

HB 1443: Local Government - Hiring and Promotion Preferences for Veterans and Spouses of Service Members and Veterans (Families Serve Act)

HB 1443 allows Maryland counties and municipalities to create local laws granting hiring and promotion preferences to eligible veterans and specific family members. It authorizes a 10-point credit on selection tests for veterans, spouses of veterans with service-connected disabilities, spouses of active service members, and surviving spouses of veterans. The bill specifies that current government employees and veterans convicted of crimes after military service are excluded from these preferences. Local governments must adopt a formal local law before implementing these hiring or promotion options.

Topics ✓ Veterans

Bill results