Maryland Bills | MyRepTracker

passed · Maryland · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SB 297: Vehicle Laws - Manufacturers and Dealers - Prices Listed on Dealer Websites (Jack Fitzgerald Price Transparency Act)

SB 297, the Jack Fitzgerald Price Transparency Act, requires vehicle manufacturers to allow dealers to display on their websites that the advertised price of a vehicle is the manufacturer’s minimum allowable price, enabling dealers to offer lower prices without penalty. It prohibits manufacturers from taking adverse actions - like threatening to withhold benefits or imposing fines - against dealers who disclose this pricing information. The law directly affects auto dealers by protecting their right to transparent pricing and preventing manufacturer retaliation for price competition. It amends Maryland’s vehicle laws to ensure dealers can advertise lower prices without fear of retaliation from manufacturers. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.

passed · Maryland · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SB 300: Economic Development - Rural Readiness Program and Rural Maryland Capacity Building Fund - Establishment

SB 300 establishes the Rural Readiness Program, administered by the Rural Maryland Council, to help eligible rural communities (including nonprofits, local governments, tribes, and economic development organizations) build capacity for economic growth through grant application support and project development. It creates a priority for these communities to receive certain state grants, such as those from the Maryland Agricultural Education Fund and the Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund, after completing the program. The bill also creates the Rural Maryland Capacity Building Fund - a permanent fund for grants supporting planning and capacity-building initiatives in rural areas. These provisions directly aim to address rural communities' challenges in accessing resources, infrastructure, and skilled staff.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

passed · Maryland · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SB 287: Economic Development - Tax Increment Financing - Noncontiguous Areas

SB 287 allows local governments in Maryland to designate *noncontiguous* blighted areas as development districts for tax increment financing (TIF). This means communities can now use TIF tools for economic development projects in disconnected land parcels (like separate lots in a blighted neighborhood) that were previously ineligible under the law. The bill amends Maryland’s Economic Development Code to explicitly include "noncontiguous" areas in the definition of "development district" and updates related sections to permit this designation. It directly affects counties, cities, and other local governments seeking to revitalize fragmented blighted areas through TIF. The change takes effect October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 7, 2026

HB 774: Landlord and Tenant - Residential Leases and Holdover Tenancies - Local Good Cause Termination (Good Cause Eviction)

HB 774 allows counties in Maryland to adopt local laws requiring landlords to have a valid reason (like nonpayment of rent or lease violations) to terminate residential leases or evict tenants who remain after their lease ends ("holdover tenancies"). Landlords in counties with such laws must disclose whether they are subject to these rules in lease agreements and provide specific ownership details (including how many properties they own) if claiming an exemption. The bill also requires the state housing office to create standardized forms for this disclosure and to clarify when landlords must prove "good cause" in court. This directly affects landlords and tenants in counties that implement these local good cause eviction protections.

Topics ✓ Housing

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 7, 2026

HB 1233: Washington County - Mobile Food Service Facilities and Semipermanent Food Service Facilities - Toilet and Lavatory Facilities

HB 1233 exempts mobile food service facilities (like food trucks) and semipermanent food service facilities (fixed units not requiring building permits) in Washington County from needing on-site toilets and lavatories. The bill amends Maryland's health code to remove this requirement for these specific facilities within Washington County, while maintaining the rule for other food establishments. This change applies to facilities operating under the definitions in Section 21-301(i-1) and affects food vendors serving immediate meals without indoor seating. The exemption takes effect October 1, 2026.

passed · Maryland · Senate Apr 7, 2026

SB 170: Task Force on Education Funding and Student Population Growth

SB 170 creates a temporary task force to study how delays in student enrollment counts impact school funding and how growing student populations connect to funding levels in Maryland. The task force, composed of 11 members including education officials, school board representatives, teachers' unions, parent groups, and county officials, will analyze these issues and propose improvements. It must submit its recommendations to the Governor and legislature by December 15, 2026, and the task force will expire on June 30, 2027. The bill does not change current funding formulas but sets up a structured review process for education finance policy.

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 7, 2026

HB 45: Labor and Employment - Mandatory Meetings on Religious or Political Matters - Employee Attendance and Participation (Maryland Worker Freedom Act)

HB 45, the Maryland Worker Freedom Act, prohibits employers from penalizing employees or job applicants who refuse to attend or participate in mandatory meetings where the employer expresses views on religious or political matters. It directly protects workers in non-exempt workplaces (excluding religious organizations, educational institutions, and government entities) from being fired, disciplined, or denied employment for declining such meetings. The bill requires employers to notify staff of these protections and provides a complaint process to the Labor Commissioner, who can impose fines up to $25,000 for violations or order reinstatement and back pay. Key exemptions include voluntary participation, required legal communications, and employer training mandated by law.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 6, 2026

HB 1140: Baltimore County Board of Education - Membership - Alterations

HB 1140 changes how Baltimore County's school board is structured, effective with the 2030 election. It replaces the current system (7 elected members from districts + 4 appointed members) with 9 elected members (one from each of the county's nine council districts) plus two appointed members at large, while retaining one student member. The bill specifies that elected members must reside in their district and limits service to three consecutive terms. This directly affects Baltimore County residents, as school board members will now be elected from specific districts rather than a smaller number of districts, increasing local representation.

passed · Maryland · Senate Apr 2, 2026

SB 267: Land Use - Residential Housing - Oversight and Approval (Building Affordably in My Back Yard Act)

SB 267, the "Building Affordably in My Back Yard Act," aims to increase residential housing development by changing oversight, regulation, and tax policies. It requires property owners to certify contact information to the housing department, empowers local governments to streamline approvals for housing projects, and sets housing production targets. The bill allows counties to reduce certain taxes or fees for affordable housing projects while increasing them for non-affordable developments, and permits local tax adjustments for different property types. These changes directly affect property owners, local governments, and housing developers across Maryland.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 2, 2026

HB 627: Commission on Historic, Cultural, and Civic Contributions in Education - Establishment

HB 627 establishes the Commission on History, Culture, and Civics in Education to improve how Maryland public schools teach U.S. and Maryland history, culture, and civics. The commission, composed of 16 members representing diverse groups (including Indigenous tribes, LGBTQIA+ communities, disabled individuals, teachers, and racial/ethnic communities), must examine contributions of marginalized groups and make recommendations to the State Board of Education. Key provisions require the commission to examine topics like Native American contributions, LGBTQIA+ history, and disability community impacts, while ensuring recommendations promote equitable learning for all students. The commission must publicly share meeting materials, reports, and livestream sessions online, with members serving four-year terms without pay but receiving travel reimbursements. This bill directly affects Maryland public school curricula and student learning experiences through its recommendations.

Topics ✓ Education

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 31, 2026

HB 1257: Baltimore County Board of Education - Financial Reporting Requirements

HB 1257 requires the Baltimore County Board of Education to provide specific financial details - including budget, enrollment, and capital project information - to the Baltimore County Executive and County Council as part of the annual budget submission. The bill also mandates that this same information be made publicly accessible online in a user-friendly format. These changes update Maryland law to standardize financial transparency for the school district's operations. The Baltimore County Board of Education is directly affected, as it must now comply with these new reporting obligations.

passed · Maryland · Senate Mar 31, 2026

SB 463: Municipalities - Vagrancy - Repeal of Authority to Prohibit

SB 463 (Maryland Senate Bill 463) repeals a provision in Maryland law that allowed municipalities to prohibit "vagrancy." Specifically, it removes the authority from local governments to ban vagrancy under Section 5-207(c)(2) of the Annotated Code of Maryland. This change directly affects all Maryland municipalities, eliminating their ability to enforce vagrancy laws as a separate prohibition. The bill does not create new restrictions but removes this specific historical provision from local ordinance powers.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice