Maryland Bills

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 8, 2025

SB 598: Property Tax – Low–Income Housing Tax Credit – Valuation of Property

SB 598 requires county property assessors to use a specific method when valuing commercial real estate developed under federal low-income housing tax credit programs (Section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code). It mandates that assessors calculate the property’s value based on its actual or anticipated net operating income, adjusted upward by 1.5% to 2% to account for affordability restrictions, rather than counting tax credits as income. The bill directly affects developers and owners of such properties, as well as county assessment offices responsible for property tax calculations. It prohibits assessors from treating federal tax credits under Section 42 as income when determining property value. The law takes effect June 1, 2025, applying to taxable years beginning after June 30, 2025.

Topics ✓ Housing

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 8, 2025

SB 229: Health Services Cost Review Commission - User Fee Assessment - Repeal of Sunset

SB 229 repeals the sunset provision that would have automatically ended a fee assessment rule for hospitals on June 30, 2025. The bill removes the expiration date from existing law (Chapter 696 and 697 of the 2022 Acts), making the fee structure permanent. This affects hospitals and related institutions whose rates are approved by the Health Services Cost Review Commission, as they will continue to pay user fees calculated as 0.1% of their prior year's budgeted hospital revenue or the highest amount from the previous five years. The fees fund the Commission's operational costs and are not changed by this bill, only their duration.

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 8, 2025

SB 1008: Economic Development - Small Business Guaranty Fund - Alterations

SB 1008 amends Maryland's Small Business Guaranty Fund law to expand how loan guarantees can be secured, allowing them to be backed either by the state's full faith and credit or through alternative financial instruments like irrevocable letters of credit, treasurer's checks, or escrow accounts. This change aims to provide more flexibility for financial institutions offering loans to small businesses, potentially making it easier for them to participate in the program. The bill also requires the Maryland Economic Development Authority to assess whether a loan will have a substantial economic impact, considering factors like job creation and loan terms before approving guarantees. The amendment will take effect on October 1, 2025, directly affecting small businesses seeking loans and the financial institutions providing them.

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 8, 2025

SB 224: Opioid-Associated Disease Prevention and Outreach Programs - Appeals and Membership of Standing Advisory Committee

SB 224 modifies Maryland's process for opioid prevention program approvals and committee structure. It allows local health departments or community organizations to appeal denied program authorizations directly to the Secretary of Health (or their designee), rather than the Deputy Secretary for Public Health Services. The bill also revises the membership requirements for the Standing Advisory Committee, specifying roles like public health experts, law enforcement representatives, individuals with lived experience, and healthcare providers. These changes directly affect applicants seeking program authorization and the committee members who provide technical guidance on program operations. The bill updates existing code sections (24-901, 24-902, 24-904, 24-905) without creating new programs.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 8, 2025

SB 263: Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning, and Refrigeration Contractors - License Restoration

This bill extends the time HVAC and refrigeration contractors in Maryland have to restore an expired license from 90 days to 4 years. It modifies Maryland law to allow license holders to apply for restoration within 4 years of expiration by paying the required renewal or reinstatement fee. Contractors who miss this 4-year window would no longer face the full initial application process but must instead comply with new applicant requirements. The change directly affects licensed contractors who let their credentials expire, providing more flexibility to regain their license status.

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 8, 2025

SB 223: Department of Aging - Senior Call-Check and Social Connections Program

SB 223 renames Maryland's "Senior Call-Check Service and Notification Program" to the "Social Connections Program" and updates its purpose to promote wellness and purposeful social engagement for older adults. The bill directly affects older adults at risk of social isolation, expanding eligibility beyond age-based criteria to include those who would benefit from additional social engagement. Key provisions require the Department of Aging to provide regular communication (via phone, text, or virtual means), follow up if a participant doesn’t respond, and share relevant wellness information. The program also mandates collaboration between the Department of Aging and the Department of Disabilities for budget development.

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 8, 2025

SB 307: Anne Arundel County Board of Education - Student Member Scholarship - Increase

SB 307 increases the scholarship award for student members of the Anne Arundel County Board of Education from $8,000 to $15,000. This change applies to students who complete a full term on the board and can use the scholarship toward higher education costs. The bill amends Maryland's Education Code (Sections 3-2A-01 and 3-2A-07) to update the scholarship amount, effective June 1, 2025. It directly affects student board members by providing greater financial support for their education. The policy change is limited to the scholarship amount, with no other provisions altering board composition or compensation for other members.

Topics ✓ Education

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 8, 2025

SB 431: Registered Apprenticeship Investments for a Stronger Economy (RAISE) Act

SB 431, the Registered Apprenticeship Investments for a Stronger Economy (RAISE) Act, creates new programs to expand apprenticeships in Maryland. It allows the State Board of Plumbing to waive journey plumber license exams for those completing approved apprenticeships and authorizes the Secretary of Labor to waive exams for other licenses after approved training. The bill establishes the Maryland Apprenticeship Incentive Pay Per Apprentice Program, which provides payments to employers for each apprentice they train, funded by a new nonlapsing special fund. These changes directly affect apprentices, employers offering training, and licensing boards by reducing barriers to entry and incentivizing employer participation in registered apprenticeship programs.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 8, 2025

SB 52: Health Occupations - State Board of Chiropractic Examiners - Revisions

SB 52 revises Maryland's chiropractic licensing and oversight rules. It changes the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners' membership structure (reducing chiropractor members from 5 to 3, with 2 consumer members), adds authority for unannounced office inspections when complaints involve CDC guideline violations, and requires licensees or applicants to undergo health provider examinations under specific circumstances. These changes directly affect chiropractors seeking licensure, currently licensed practitioners, and the Board itself. The bill updates definitions, licensure requirements, and disciplinary procedures under the Maryland Chiropractic Act without altering core practice limitations.

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 8, 2025

SB 260: State Government - Forms - Reporting Requirement - Repeal

SB 260 repeals a requirement that Maryland state government departments and units annually submit reports about their forms management to the Department of General Services. The bill removes Section 10-605 of the Maryland Annotated Code, which previously mandated these reports be submitted by July 31 each year. This is a procedural change eliminating an administrative reporting obligation for state agencies, effective October 1, 2025.

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 8, 2025

SB 203: Vehicle Laws - Exceptional Hauling Permits for Farm Products

SB 203 creates an exception allowing vehicles carrying fluid milk products to operate on Maryland's interstate highway system under specific conditions, directly affecting dairy farmers and milk transporters. The bill permits milk trucks with 5-axle configurations (min. 28 ft tractor-semi spacing) to carry only milk from farm storage tanks to processing plants, with a weight limit of 88,000 lbs, or 6-axle trucks (min. 50 ft spacing) at 95,000 lbs. It requires special inspections twice yearly and maintains the rule that milk must be the vehicle's sole load. The bill modifies existing weight limits, axle spacing rules, and inspection requirements for farm product haulers under exceptional permits.

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 8, 2025

SB 279: Employment and Insurance Equality for Service Members Act

SB 279, the "Employment and Insurance Equality for Service Members Act," expands protections for service members and veterans by broadening definitions and regulations across Maryland law. It updates terms like "uniformed services" to cover all military personnel (not just the armed forces) and requires businesses, insurance providers, and labor laws to apply equally to all service members and veterans. Key changes include new provisions for veteran-owned small business loans, updated insurance regulations, and revised employment protections to prevent discrimination. The bill directly affects service members, veterans, and businesses operating under Maryland’s licensing and insurance rules.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Veterans

Bill results