Maryland Bills

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 588: Frederick County - Alcoholic Beverages - Municipal Golf Course License

This Maryland bill updates the rules for issuing alcohol licenses at the City of Frederick's municipal golf course. It allows the county's licensing board to grant a beer, wine, and liquor license directly to a city official chosen by the mayor, rather than only to the golf course manager. The law also permits the license to be transferred to a new official if the city requests it and clarifies that the license holder can sell alcohol for on-site consumption during standard hours. An annual fee of $600 is set for this specific license, and the changes take effect on July 1, 2024.

signed · Maryland · Senate May 16, 2024

SB 332: Hospitals and Urgent Care Centers - Sepsis Protocol (Lochlin's Law)

This bill mandates that all Maryland hospitals and urgent care centers adopt a standardized protocol by January 1, 2025, to improve the early detection and treatment of sepsis. The required plan must follow Centers for Disease Control guidelines and include specific steps for screening, administering antibiotics, and providing fluid support for both adults and children. Facilities are also required to provide regular training to relevant staff members and use the protocol to track their own quality of care. Specialty psychiatric hospitals must establish a separate process to screen for sepsis and transfer affected patients to appropriate care settings. Hospitals that already submit sepsis data to federal reporting programs are presumed to be in compliance with these new requirements.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 832: General Provisions - Damages or Losses - Definition

This bill defines the term "damages" or "losses" for specific Maryland laws protecting civil and consumer rights. It clarifies that these terms include reasonable nominal damages, which are small monetary awards given to acknowledge a rights violation even when no significant financial harm occurred. The legislation aims to ensure courts continue to provide remedies for aggrieved individuals despite recent trends in federal law that have limited such protections. By adding this definition to the Maryland General Provisions, the law directly affects cases involving civil rights and consumer protection violations.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 1339: Health Insurance - Hearing Aids for Adults - Coverage

This Maryland law requires health insurance plans and health maintenance organizations to cover hearing aids for adults who are prescribed, fitted, and dispensed by a licensed audiologist. The coverage applies to non-disposable devices designed to improve hearing in environments commonly experienced by adults and allows insurers to set a maximum benefit of $1,400 per ear every three years. If an adult chooses a hearing aid that costs more than the plan's limit, they can pay the difference without facing financial or contractual penalties for the provider. The law also permits insurance companies to offer benefits that are more generous than these minimum requirements. These provisions take effect on January 1, 2025.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 823: Fire Protection and Prevention - Residential Rental Property - Requirements (Melanie Nicholle Diaz Fire Safety Act)

This bill, known as the Melanie Nicholle Diaz Fire Safety Act, establishes new fire safety requirements for residential rental high-rise buildings in Maryland to improve occupant protection. It mandates the installation of specific smoke detectors in public corridors of these buildings starting July 1, 2024, and requires owners to post notices if their buildings lack complete automatic sprinkler systems. The legislation also ensures that tenants who are deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing receive appropriate notification appliances without having to pay for them or provide documentation. Additionally, the bill creates a workgroup to develop best practices for pre-1974 high-rise apartments and allows local governments to offer property tax credits for buildings that make qualifying fire safety improvements.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 1213: Baltimore County - Sheriff - Salary

This bill establishes a specific salary schedule for the Sheriff of Baltimore County, directly affecting the county's executive law enforcement official. It sets the annual salary at $90,000 for 2024 and 2025, then increases it to $138,000 in 2026, $143,000 in 2027, $150,000 in 2028, and $157,500 in 2029. For any year after 2029, the salary will be determined by the Baltimore County Council's annual budget, subject to state constitutional limits. The law also clarifies that these new pay rates apply only to Sheriffs whose terms begin on or after the bill's effective date of October 1, 2024.

signed · Maryland · Senate May 16, 2024

SB 881: Public Health – Federally Qualified Health Centers Grant Program – Recovery of Funding

This bill updates Maryland's rules for recovering public funds from Federally Qualified Health Centers if they stop meeting program requirements or are sold to ineligible buyers. It changes the time limit for the state to demand repayment from fifteen years to thirty years for properties owned by the health center, while keeping the fifteen-year limit for leased properties. The law also clarifies that the state can recover money if a facility ceases to operate as a federally qualified health center within these timeframes. These changes apply to counties, municipalities, and nonprofit organizations that received grants to build, renovate, or equip these health centers.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 810: Criminal Law - Rapid-Fire Activator - Switch/Auto-Sear

This Maryland law updates criminal statutes to explicitly ban the manufacture, sale, possession, and transport of a device known as a "switch/auto-sear," which is designed to allow a firearm to fire multiple shots with a single trigger pull. By adding this specific device to the legal definition of a "rapid fire activator," the bill enables law enforcement to seize and dispose of these items as contraband. The legislation also broadens existing penalties to apply to anyone who uses such a device while committing a felony or a crime of violence, ensuring that this specific modification is treated with the same restrictions as other prohibited weapon attachments.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 172: Department of State Police - Professional Occupations - Application Process

This bill updates the application process for individuals and businesses seeking licenses as private detectives, security guards, security systems technicians, and railroad police officers in Maryland. It grants the Secretary of State Police the authority to decide the specific format and method for submitting applications, including how fees are paid and what information is required. A key change involves requiring applicants to submit two sets of fingerprints in a specific format to facilitate criminal history checks. The legislation also modifies insurance requirements for security agencies and clarifies the information needed on application forms for both individual applicants and firms.

signed · Maryland · Senate May 16, 2024

SB 563: Frederick County - Alcoholic Beverages - Weinberg Center/New Spires Arts Stages Beer, Wine, and Liquor License

This bill updates the alcoholic beverage license for the Weinberg Center and New Spires Arts Stages in Frederick County to officially include both locations under a single Class C license. It expands the authority to sign license applications to include the managers of these venues or a municipal official designated by the mayor, rather than limiting it to the center's president. The legislation also allows the license holder to sell alcohol at events hosted by outside groups that rent either facility, in addition to performances and fundraisers benefiting the arts centers. Finally, it authorizes the consumption of beer, wine, and liquor anywhere on the licensed premises during these authorized events.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 378: State Board of Dietetic Practice - Dietitian-Nutritionists - Application Requirements

This Maryland bill updates the educational and certification requirements for individuals seeking a license as a dietitian-nutritionist. It raises the minimum academic standard from a bachelor's degree to a master's degree and clarifies the specific fields of study that qualify applicants. The legislation also modifies the rules for waiving the state licensing exam for professionals who are already licensed or certified in other jurisdictions. These changes directly affect current and future applicants who must now meet these higher educational criteria to practice in Maryland.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 557: Sales and Use Tax Exemption - Aircraft Parts and Equipment - Repeal of Reporting Requirement and Extension of Sunset

This bill modifies Maryland's tax exemption for parts and equipment used to repair, maintain, or upgrade aircraft. It keeps the exemption in place for smaller planes under 12,500 pounds and larger planes used primarily in interstate or foreign commerce. The law removes the requirement for the state Comptroller to report annually on lost tax revenue and job changes related to the exemption. Additionally, it extends the exemption's expiration date from June 30, 2025, to June 30, 2030.

Bill results