SB 46 makes it a crime to illegally occupy residential property with the intent to defraud the owner, prohibiting possession or claiming rights to property you don’t legally own. Property owners can submit a sworn affidavit to their sheriff, triggering removal of the occupant unless they present evidence of lawful possession. Violations carry fines up to $2,500 or jail time (up to 1 year for repeat offenses within 2 years). The law explicitly states it does not replace existing wrongful detainer lawsuits, which remain an option for property owners.
SB 262 amends Maryland's election law to change how special elections fill vacancies on county councils or for county chief executive positions. It allows county councils to direct that a special primary election be skipped, with the vacancy filled solely through a special general election, and requires councils to specify whether the general election will be partisan (showing party affiliation) or nonpartisan (without party affiliation). The bill also updates mail ballot rules, requiring local boards to send vote-by-mail ballots at least 30 days before the election (instead of 14 days) and eliminating the requirement to mail specimen ballots to voters. These changes directly affect county councils, local election boards, and voters participating in county-level special elections.
HB 1467 modifies Maryland law to clarify how special taxing districts fund erosion prevention and control projects in Anne Arundel County. It requires interest earned on district deposits to be credited directly to that specific district (replacing prior language), and explicitly states that planning, permitting, and cost estimation activities for these projects are exempt from the standard petition process. This bill directly affects property owners in shoreline districts within Anne Arundel County who fund erosion projects through special assessments. The changes streamline project initiation by removing procedural barriers for preliminary work while ensuring district funds are properly accounted for.
HB 492 authorizes Frederick County's Human Resources Director to request state and national criminal history checks for both current and prospective county employees and volunteers. The bill requires submitting two sets of approved fingerprints, paying Maryland and FBI fees, and mandates that the Central Repository forwards results only to the applicant and HR. It strictly prohibits redisseminating the confidential results and limits their use solely to personnel decisions for county employment. This bill directly affects all Frederick County employees and volunteers who undergo background checks under this new procedure.
HB 260 modifies Maryland's criminal penalties for drug paraphernalia by reducing fines and jail terms for most violations. It lowers maximum penalties for first-time offenses (to $500 fines) and subsequent violations (to 1 year imprisonment or $1,000 fines), removes certain possession prohibitions, and clarifies that items like scales or strainers near paraphernalia may indicate illegal use. The bill directly affects individuals using, possessing, or selling drug paraphernalia (e.g., pipes, syringes) to administer controlled substances. It also increases penalties for selling such items to minors (up to 8 years in prison or $15,000 fine). The changes take effect October 1, 2025.
SB 360 updates Maryland law to address non-consensual sharing of computer-generated images resembling real people. It allows victims to file civil lawsuits if someone distributes such images that falsely show their intimate parts or sexual activity without consent, and it creates a new criminal offense for knowingly distributing these images under specific circumstances (like with intent to harm or without consent). The bill defines "computer-generated visual representation" to include images made from scratch or altered from existing photos without permission, while excluding drawings, cartoons, sculptures, or paintings. This directly affects individuals who create or share such images without consent, as well as victims seeking legal remedies for privacy violations.
HB 1516 (Maryland Secondary Market Stability Act of 2025) exempts certain entities from Maryland's licensing requirements when they acquire mortgages, mortgage loans, or installment loans under specific conditions - such as if they do not already engage in making those loans or servicing them. The bill creates a Maryland Licensing Workgroup, composed of consumer advocates, banking/credit union representatives, nonbank mortgage businesses, and state experts, to study and recommend changes to licensing rules for financial service providers. This directly affects non-lending entities that purchase loan portfolios (e.g., investors or collectors) but do not operate as mortgage lenders or installment loan originators. The law modifies existing licensing statutes to clarify these exemptions while directing the Workgroup to propose future regulatory adjustments.
HB 616 modifies Maryland law to better protect cemeteries by extending the time limit for prosecuting crimes involving cemetery damage and adding specific prohibitions. It changes the statute of limitations to allow prosecution within 3 years after local authorities knew or should have known about violations (previously tied to when the offense occurred). The bill prohibits willfully destroying, damaging, defacing, or removing funerary objects, cemetery structures (like walls or fences), or landscaping without permission, while allowing normal maintenance and repairs with consent from cemetery owners or heirs. Violations of these provisions carry misdemeanor penalties, with fines up to $10,000 for structural damage and $500 for plant-related damage. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025.
SB 867 transfers management of the Cyber Maryland Program from the Maryland Technology Development Corporation to the Maryland Department of Labor. The bill requires the Program to award competitive grants and contracts for IT/OT initiatives starting in fiscal year 2026, while altering how the Cyber Maryland Fund is used - including transferring unused balances from other programs to the Fund annually. It also revises the Program's purpose to focus on creating a cybersecurity talent pipeline by 2026, serving as an employer resource hub, and ensuring workforce development reflects Maryland's racial, gender, ethnic, and geographic diversity. These changes aim to streamline cybersecurity workforce development efforts under the Department of Labor's administration.
HB 235 revises Maryland's state cybersecurity policies by updating responsibilities for key agencies. It modifies the Cyber Preparedness Unit's role to develop an online database of training resources for local government cybersecurity staff and coordinate regional preparedness exercises. The bill also updates the Office of Security Management's duties to establish cybersecurity standards for state information systems and requires the Secretary of Information Technology to develop a statewide cybersecurity strategy. These changes primarily affect state agencies (like the Department of Emergency Management and Department of Information Technology) and indirectly support local governments through new resource-sharing mechanisms. The bill focuses on operational clarity rather than new funding or penalties.
HB 209 repeals a Maryland law requiring counties, local school systems, and health departments to create or update cybersecurity preparedness plans and complete assessments. The bill removes Section 3.5-405 of the State Finance and Procurement article, which mandated these specific cybersecurity planning and assessment requirements. This change eliminates a duplicative obligation for local governments, as noted in the bill's purpose. The repeal takes effect on July 1, 2025, with related sections being renumbered to maintain legal continuity.
HB 956 establishes a 15-member workgroup to monitor artificial intelligence (AI) issues affecting consumers in Maryland. The workgroup includes two Senate and two House members, the Attorney General, a tech corporation official, and industry representatives from technology, e-commerce, biotech, real estate, healthcare, and education sectors. It must monitor AI regulation in decisions impacting livelihoods, privacy protections, consumer rights, and private sector AI use, then submit annual recommendations to legislative committees starting July 1, 2026. The bill directly affects how Maryland tracks AI impacts on consumers, with no immediate policy changes - only a process for future guidance.
