SB 274 modifies Maryland court procedures for child abuse cases by allowing a child victim to testify remotely via closed-circuit television outside the courtroom if a judge determines their presence with the defendant would cause serious emotional distress. It specifies that only certain attorneys (prosecution, defense, child's advocate), court staff, and therapeutic support personnel may be present with the child during remote testimony, while the defendant and judge remain in the courtroom. The bill explicitly prohibits two-way video that would let the child see or hear the defendant during testimony. This directly affects child victims, defendants, and their legal representatives in abuse cases covered under Maryland’s Family Law and Criminal Law Articles.
SB 11, the Organized Retail Theft Act of 2025, defines "organized retail theft" as a series of thefts from retail stores over 90 days with intent to permanently deprive merchants, return merchandise for gain, or resell it. It prohibits thefts exceeding $1,500 in aggregate value, classifying violations as felonies with escalating penalties based on total value ($1,500-$25,000: up to 5 years; $25,000-$100,000: up to 10 years; $100,000+: up to 20 years). The bill requires courts to mandate restitution to retailers and merges convictions under this law with standard theft charges for sentencing. It directly affects retailers (as victims) and individuals committing coordinated theft schemes across multiple locations.
SB 774 modifies Maryland's property tax valuation rules for rural broadband service providers. It requires the State Department of Assessments and Taxation to use only actual operating income (not projected earnings) when valuing their property under the income approach, and to reduce property value by any government subsidies or tax credits received under the replacement cost approach. This change directly affects rural broadband companies by potentially lowering their property tax burden. The bill ensures these providers are taxed based on real operational income and government benefits received, rather than full market value.
SB 80 increases penalties for animal abuse or neglect in Maryland that results in an animal's death or the need for humane euthanasia. It raises penalties from up to 90 days/$1,000 to up to 3 years/$5,000 for such severe cases, requiring validation of euthanasia decisions by a second veterinarian or state veterinarian for livestock. The bill also adds new sentencing options, including mandatory counseling, reimbursement for animal care costs, and court-ordered bans on owning or living with animals for convicted offenders. This directly affects individuals convicted of severe animal cruelty and gives courts additional tools to address repeat offenses.
Senate Bill 432, known as the "Expungement Reform Act of 2025," updates Maryland's laws concerning the expungement of criminal records, directly affecting individuals seeking to clear certain past convictions. The bill modifies the waiting periods for filing expungement petitions after a sentence is completed and expands the list of misdemeanor convictions eligible for expungement. It also requires courts to consider if restitution has been paid or if the person lacks the ability to pay before granting expungement. Finally, the bill prohibits the Maryland Judiciary Case Search from displaying any reference to certain expunged records.
SB 305 requires virtual currency kiosk operators in Maryland to register with the Commissioner of Financial Regulation starting January 1, 2026. Operators must provide business details, kiosk location information (including fixed and temporary sites), and unique identifiers for each machine. The bill establishes annual renewal requirements and authorizes fees for registration and compliance. It directly affects businesses operating standalone kiosks that let consumers exchange cash or cards for virtual currency, excluding standard ATMs and certain reward programs. The regulation applies specifically to kiosk-based virtual currency services, not broader cryptocurrency exchanges.
SB 375 restricts private rooster ownership in Maryland by limiting most individuals to no more than 5 roosters per acre or 25 total roosters on a single property, effective January 1, 2027, unless authorized by the Department of Agriculture. Exemptions include commercial poultry producers, public/private schools receiving state funds, government shelters, animal welfare organizations, and 4-H/Future Farmers of America members with written authorization from their county. Violations carry fines up to $1,000, and enforcement involves cooperation between the Department of Agriculture and local animal control or law enforcement. The bill does not override stricter local ordinances or other existing laws regarding rooster ownership.
SB 421 updates Maryland's criminal law to better protect cemetery property. It extends the time limit for prosecuting crimes involving cemetery damage to three years after local authorities discovered the violation (previously based on when the offense occurred), and explicitly prohibits willfully destroying, damaging, or removing cemetery landscaping or grounds. The bill applies directly to anyone who harms funerary objects, structures, fences, or cemetery landscaping, including vandals or those improperly altering cemetery grounds. It clarifies that routine maintenance (like trimming trees or mowing grass) remains permitted, while adding landscaping to the list of protected elements under existing criminal penalties. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.
SB 327, the Affordable Housing Payment In Lieu of Taxes Expansion Act, allows rental property owners in Maryland to pay a negotiated amount instead of county property taxes if they agree to maintain at least 50% of their rental units as affordable housing for 15 years. This applies to properties where "affordable" means units costing no more than 30% of a household’s income, defined as households earning 60% or less of the area median income (as updated by HUD). The bill modifies existing tax law to expand this payment-in-lieu-of-taxes option, replacing previous requirements with the new 50% affordability threshold and 15-year term. It directly affects rental property owners and county governments, creating a formal process for these agreements.
SB 767 grants full-time deputy sheriffs and correctional deputies in Calvert County (at the rank of Major and below) the right to form unions and negotiate with county commissioners and the sheriff over wages and health care premium costs that are not currently set by the sheriff. The bill requires any agreement on these issues to be documented in a written Memorandum of Agreement and approved by the sheriff, county commissioners, and the certified union. It does not change the sheriff’s authority over other employment matters, such as promotions or discipline. This law takes effect on October 1, 2025.
SB 9 requires nonpublic (private nonprofit) Maryland colleges to submit a letter of intent to the Maryland Higher Education Commission before proposing new graduate-level programs. It repeals a previous restriction that limited which institutions could propose certain graduate programs, expanding this process to all nonpublic institutions. The bill updates the State Plan for Higher Education to explicitly include specific academic programs that could fulfill current or emerging workforce needs. This change aims to improve coordination between institutions and the Commission regarding graduate programs aligned with state workforce goals.
SB 1039 increases the allowable percentage of beer a Class 5 brewery can sell for on-premises consumption from 25% to 35% of annual sales, provided the beer is brewed under contract or by an affiliate. It directly affects small craft breweries holding Class 5 licenses, allowing them to sell more beer they did not brew themselves at their own locations. The bill revises licensing rules to set the 35% limit based on either annual on-premises sales volume or 1.2% of the brewery’s total production. The change takes effect July 1, 2025.
