Maryland Bills

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 161: Property Tax Credit - Retail Service Station Conversions

HB 161 creates a property tax credit for property owners who convert former gas stations (retail service stations) to new uses like retail stores, homes, or mixed residential-retail spaces. Local governments (counties or cities) can grant this credit to offset property taxes, and the state will reimburse them 50% of the lost tax revenue. The credit is specifically intended to help cover costs for removing old underground gas tanks and cleaning up contamination. This applies to properties converted after June 30, 2026, and affects property owners making such conversions in Maryland jurisdictions.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Environment ✓ Housing

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 58: Property Tax Credit - Retail Service Station Conversions

SB 58 allows Baltimore City or Maryland counties to offer property tax credits to owners who convert former gas stations into retail, residential, or mixed-use properties. The credit is specifically intended to help cover costs for removing old underground gas tanks and cleaning up soil or water contamination from those tanks. Local governments can set the credit amount and duration, and the state will reimburse them 50% of the lost property tax revenue. This directly affects property owners and developers planning to redevelop former gas station sites into other commercial or housing uses.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Environment ✓ Housing

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 238: School Psychologist Interstate Licensure Compact

SB 238 establishes Maryland's participation in the School Psychologist Interstate Licensure Compact, allowing licensed school psychologists to practice across member states without duplicative licensing. The bill creates a standardized pathway for psychologists to hold "equivalent licenses" in any participating state, directly affecting school psychologists seeking cross-state work and school districts needing qualified staff. Key provisions include requiring psychologists to follow each state's scope of practice laws, preserving state authority over licensing, and specifically facilitating mobility for military families. The compact also establishes a Commission to oversee implementation and address issues like disciplinary actions. This is a substantive policy change enabling easier interstate practice while maintaining state-level professional standards.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Healthcare

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 193: Washington County - Sales and Use Tax Exemption - Target Redevelopment Area

SB 193 creates a sales and use tax exemption for construction materials and warehousing equipment purchased specifically for use in Washington County's designated Target Redevelopment Area (bounded by Robinwood Drive, Mount Aetna Road, and Yale Drive within an Office/Research/Industry zoning district). Businesses buying these items for that area can avoid the tax if they provide the vendor with Comptroller-issued eligibility proof. The exemption is valid from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2036, after which it automatically expires without further legislative action. This directly affects developers and businesses operating within the defined redevelopment zone.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 168: Study to Evaluate Blockchain-Based Real Property Lease and Title Recordation and Verification

SB 168 establishes a two-year pilot program (2027-2028) in Maryland's State Department of Assessments and Taxation to test blockchain technology for recording real property ownership. The program allows property owners in up to three selected counties to opt into having their titles represented as secure digital tokens on a blockchain registry. This system would enable law enforcement and courts to verify ownership in real time, particularly for disputes involving squatting. The pilot requires creating a secure registry, testing smart contracts for title transfers, and reporting results to the legislature by 2029. It does not mandate statewide adoption but aims to assess blockchain's potential for improving property record security and dispute resolution.

Topics ✓ Technology

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 199: Individuals With Disabilities and Service-Disabled Veterans Boating Fund - Eligible Companions

SB 199 creates a state fund to provide grants for water-based activities like sailing, kayaking, and surfing, specifically expanding eligibility to include "eligible companions" of individuals with disabilities or service-disabled veterans. The bill requires the Department of Disabilities to administer grants of up to $40,000 annually to qualifying nonprofits that have provided these activities on Maryland waters at least 25 times yearly for three years. Eligible companions are defined as family members or direct support professionals accompanying the individuals. The fund, held separately by the State Treasurer, will cover both activity costs and administrative expenses. This policy change directly affects disabled individuals, service-disabled veterans, and their support personnel by adding companions to the list of beneficiaries.

Topics ✓ Veterans

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 306: Vehicle Laws - Manufacturers and Dealers - Prices Listed on Dealer Websites (Jack Fitzgerald Price Transparency Act)

HB 306, the Jack Fitzgerald Price Transparency Act, protects car dealers from retaliation by manufacturers if they disclose on their websites that a vehicle's advertised price is the manufacturer's minimum allowable price and that the dealer may offer a lower price. The bill requires manufacturers to offer the same rebates, incentives, and financing terms to all dealers of the same vehicle brand, ensuring equal treatment. It also prohibits manufacturers from forcing dealers to alter facilities or agree to exclusive arrangements in exchange for better pricing or financing terms. This law directly affects dealers (who can now transparently advertise lower prices) and manufacturers (who must comply with equal treatment and disclosure protections).

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 6: State Personnel - Collective Bargaining - Nontenure Track Faculty

SB 6 would extend collective bargaining rights to nontenure track faculty at Maryland's public universities, including the University System of Maryland, Morgan State University, and St. Mary’s College of Maryland. The bill creates a separate bargaining unit for these faculty members - defined as full-time, part-time, or adjunct employees with academic responsibilities like teaching or research - removing them from the previous exclusion under "faculty" in collective bargaining rules. It amends state law to require each institution to establish this distinct unit alongside other employee groups, ensuring nontenure track faculty can negotiate wages, hours, and working conditions. The law would take effect on July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 242: Modernizing Civil Relief for Service Members Act

SB 242, the Modernizing Civil Relief for Service Members Act, allows active-duty service members and their spouses to practice in Maryland under an occupational or professional license issued by another state, without needing to meet all of Maryland’s usual licensing requirements. It also expands eligibility for veterans’ licensing benefits to include former service members who were discharged more than a certain period before applying for a license. The bill creates new provisions (Subtitle 14A) in Maryland law to streamline this process and updates definitions to clarify who qualifies under these rules. These changes directly affect military personnel, their families, and veterans seeking to work in licensed professions across Maryland.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Veterans

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 282: Adult Protective Services – Modifications

HB 282 modifies Maryland's Adult Protective Services laws to clarify reporting requirements and definitions for vulnerable adults. It requires health practitioners, police officers, and human service workers to report suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation - especially involving "relationship of trust" caregivers - via phone, online portal, or written report. The bill also defines key terms like "exploitation" (nonconsensual misuse of funds/property) and "vulnerable adult" (someone unable to meet their own daily needs). This directly affects vulnerable adults (elderly or disabled individuals), their caregivers, and frontline professionals who must report concerns.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 406: Prince George's County - Alcoholic Beverages - Multiple Licenses Prohibition - Exceptions PG 313-26

HB 406 updates Prince George's County's alcohol licensing rules by allowing businesses to hold multiple licenses for specific beverage types that were previously prohibited. It adds Class B (on-sale) beer and wine licenses and Class B (on-sale) beer, wine, and liquor licenses to the list of license types exempt from the "no multiple licenses" rule. This change directly affects businesses seeking to operate multiple establishments within the county under these license categories. The bill amends Maryland's Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis code (Sections 26-102 and 26-1505) and takes effect July 1, 2026.

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 285: Higher Education - Scholarships for Correctional Officers

SB 285 expands Maryland's existing scholarship program to include correctional officers. The bill amends state law to add "correctional officers" to the eligibility criteria for the Maryland Police Officers, Probation Agents, and Correctional Officers Scholarship Program, which previously covered only police officers and probation agents. It defines "correctional officer" per Maryland law and allows current or future correctional officers to apply for tuition assistance if they meet residency, enrollment, and service obligation requirements. The scholarship requires recipients to work in the field for at least five years within eight years of graduation or repay funds. This change directly affects correctional officers seeking higher education in Maryland.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Education

Bill results