HB 1356, the Maryland Employee Civic Activity and Lawful Expression Protection Act, prohibits employers from taking adverse actions against employees for engaging in off-duty civic activities, political expression, or lawful online speech. It protects all employees - including interns, part-timers, and temporary workers - from retaliation such as termination, demotion, or denial of promotion for activities like protesting, volunteering, or sharing opinions online outside work hours. The law bans employers from coercing political contributions, forcing attendance at political events, or maintaining policies that restrict protected activities, with exceptions only for conduct that disrupts job duties or reveals trade secrets. Employees can pursue civil lawsuits for violations without exhausting administrative remedies first.
HB 1543 establishes a Temporary Worker Oversight Unit within Maryland’s Department of Labor to protect H-2A and H-2B visa holders working temporarily in the state. It requires recruiters to register annually and post a $10,000 bond, prohibits charging workers fees or retaliating for complaints, and mandates employers to file an affidavit confirming no fee violations before hiring. The bill ensures temporary workers can file complaints, access forms in English/Spanish, and receive Spanish interpretation during investigations. It also allows representatives from worker advocacy, legal, health, or labor organizations to enter employer-provided housing to offer assistance, support, and education.
HB 1618 requires Maryland's Department of the Environment, working with the Department of Commerce, to create streamlined permitting procedures by October 1, 2027. It directly affects businesses primarily engaged in manufacturing (sectors 31, 32, and 33 under U.S. industry classification), such as food processing, chemical production, and machinery. Key provisions mandate a 60-day decision timeline on permit applications, assign a dedicated navigator to assist applicants, and establish a single digital portal for submissions. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026, aiming to reduce delays in environmental permitting for qualifying businesses.
HB 932 requires the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) to complete construction of its fifth bus division facility by June 30, 2032. The bill directly affects the MTA, mandating it to identify necessary funding in the 2027-2033 Consolidated Transportation Program to ensure the facility is operational by the deadline. Key provisions include a fixed completion date and annual funding planning requirements for the MTA’s capital budget. This bill does not alter service operations but sets a concrete timeline and funding process for a new infrastructure project.
SB 712, the Education Funding Accuracy Act, changes how Maryland calculates state education funding by requiring the use of the average number of students enrolled in kindergarten through grade 12 on September 30 and May 31 of the prior school year (instead of a 3-year moving average) to determine "full-time equivalent enrollment." This directly affects public school districts statewide, as it alters the enrollment count used to calculate their state aid. The bill also mandates that the State Department of Education publish an annual, detailed report online and submit it to key legislative committees by December 31 each year, showing enrollment data disaggregated by county and funding allocations. The changes take effect for funding calculations starting in fiscal year 2028.
HB 19 establishes Maryland's Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program to help State employees repay student loans. It directly affects State workers in the Executive, Legislative, or Judicial branches who earned a degree from a Maryland-accredited school and have completed 10 years of continuous State service. The program will forgive 100% of an eligible employee's remaining student loan debt, with priority given to those who graduated from the University System of Maryland or institutions with high Pell Grant enrollment. The Office of Student Financial Assistance will administer the program and report annually to the legislature on its implementation.
SB 144 modifies Maryland's Public Information Act to clarify that certain records of elected officials (like misconduct investigation records) are not considered "personnel records" and thus subject to public disclosure. It also establishes specific conditions under which records of the State Ethics Commission and Joint Ethics Committee become publicly accessible, such as when an elected official consents or the committee votes to release them. The bill directly affects elected officials, the public seeking transparency, and ethics oversight bodies by changing access rules for sensitive records. Key provisions include removing confidentiality for ethics-related complaints when consent is given and requiring the Joint Ethics Committee to disclose certain conflict-of-interest forms. These changes aim to balance privacy concerns with public access to government ethics processes.
HB 177 allows bicycle, play vehicle, and unicycle riders to enter an intersection on a red traffic signal when facing a pedestrian "walk" signal, provided they yield to vehicles and pedestrians already in the intersection. It directly affects cyclists, children's ride-on toys (like scooters or ride-on cars), and unicycles operating at crosswalks. The bill clarifies that these riders have pedestrian-like rights in crosswalks and on sidewalks (while still yielding to pedestrians), and removes certain existing traffic restrictions. It takes effect October 1, 2026, and does not change general traffic signal requirements for other road users.
HB 392, the Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act of 2026, revises multiple Maryland state funding formulas and tax provisions to adjust budget allocations. It directly affects community colleges (including Baltimore City Community College and private nonprofit institutions via the Joseph A. Sellinger Program), county governments (requiring reimbursements for health programs and retirement costs), and taxpayers (modifying tax calculations for depreciation). Key changes include altering how state aid is distributed to colleges, requiring counties to cover certain health program costs, mandating online publication of budget books instead of physical copies, and adjusting tax calculations for federal depreciation deductions. The bill makes technical adjustments to existing state codes without creating new programs or major policy shifts.
SB 273 expands eligibility for Maryland's Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Program to include individuals currently eligible for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' Chapter 35 Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Benefit. This change directly affects family members of veterans or military personnel who qualify for Chapter 35 benefits but were previously excluded from the scholarship program. The bill adds a new verification method: applicants can submit a copy of their Chapter 35 eligibility certificate, or school officials can verify their Chapter 35 status if a certificate is unavailable. These updates simplify the process for qualifying individuals to access the scholarship, which supports education costs for dependents of military personnel, veterans, 9/11 survivors, and school employees injured or killed in line of duty.
HB 190 is a constitutional amendment requiring all Maryland counties and Baltimore City to adopt a local government charter by December 31, 2032. It mandates that counties use a new process starting January 1, 2027, including appointing a charter board (5-9 members) to draft the charter within 18 months, followed by voter approval at the next general election. The charter must establish elected county executives and council members chosen from districts, replacing current "code home rule" systems. This directly affects every county and Baltimore City by restructuring their local governance framework to meet the 2032 deadline.
HB 705 establishes a special, nonlapsing fund within Maryland's Attorney General's Office to support consumer protection, antitrust, and securities enforcement activities. The fund receives up to 25% of penalties exceeding $100,000 from consumer protection cases (e.g., violations of commercial law or corporate regulations), capped at $7.5 million annually. Money in the fund can only cover direct enforcement costs like investigations, technology tools, staff training, and public education - not victim restitution or general operating expenses. The fund cannot replace regular state budget appropriations, and any balance over $7.5 million must be transferred to the state’s general fund by year-end.
