Maryland Bills

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 265: Insurance - Producer Licensing Requirements - Education and Experience

HB 265 repeals the education and experience requirements for licensing insurance producers in Maryland. This change directly affects individuals seeking to sell property and casualty insurance, life insurance, health insurance, annuities, and certain limited lines of coverage. Under the new rules, applicants will no longer need to complete specific study programs or prove a year of prior work experience in the insurance industry to obtain a license. The bill maintains existing standards regarding an applicant's character, age, and criminal history while removing the mandatory testing and employment history components.

signed · Maryland · Senate May 16, 2024

SB 996: Advanced Practice Registered Nurses - Professional Liability Insurance Coverage - Notification Requirements

This Maryland law requires advanced practice registered nurses to inform patients in writing if they do not have professional liability insurance or if their coverage has lapsed. The notification must be given at the start of any visit where care is not free of charge and included in the informed consent form for any proposed procedures. Patients must sign the notice, which the nurse then keeps in their medical records, and nurses without coverage must also post this information in a visible area of their practice. The State Board of Nursing is tasked with creating the specific wording for these notices, and the law takes effect on October 1, 2024.

signed · Maryland · Senate May 16, 2024

SB 774: Public Safety - Maryland Entertainment District Security Grant Program

This bill establishes the Maryland Entertainment District Security Grant Program to help fund security operations in specific areas of the state. The program targets neighborhoods with high concentrations of bars, hookah lounges, or live entertainment venues that experience heavy foot traffic and frequent police calls for service. Eligible recipients include community organizations, nonprofits, and local governments, which must apply through the Governor's Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services. The program is financed by a special state fund that will receive up to $1 million annually starting in fiscal year 2026, with money used solely for grants and administrative costs.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 632: Harford County - Alcoholic Beverages Licenses - Golf Simulator Facility

This Maryland law creates a new license category for golf simulator facilities in Harford County, allowing them to sell alcohol for on-site consumption under specific conditions. To qualify, the facility must be open to the public, have at least five simulator bays, and be primarily designed for golf simulation with dedicated seating. The license holder must provide food at all times when selling alcohol, and their business must meet strict sales ratios where at least 50% of revenue comes from bay rentals and at least 15% from food. Additionally, the facility is required to submit an annual report detailing sales of alcohol, food, and rental fees to ensure compliance before the license can be renewed.

signed · Maryland · Senate May 16, 2024

SB 403: Hospitals and Related Institutions - Residential Treatment Centers - Accreditation

This Maryland law expands the definition of accredited residential treatment centers to include facilities certified by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities and the Council on Accreditation, in addition to those previously recognized by the Joint Commission. By updating state statutes, the bill ensures that these additional organizations are treated equivalently to the Joint Commission when determining which centers are subject to specific state inspections and oversight. Consequently, residential treatment centers meeting the standards of any of these three bodies will now be classified as accredited for the purposes of regulatory compliance and deficiency reviews. The changes take effect on October 1, 2024, aligning state definitions with a broader range of recognized accreditation standards for patient care facilities.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 1125: Certified Nursing Assistants - Licensing Requirements and Administrative Updates

This Maryland bill updates the licensing rules for certified nursing assistants and geriatric nursing assistants to align with federal regulations. It requires individuals applying for certification to complete a competency evaluation and allows training programs to request waivers for certain federal requirements. The law also clarifies the definition of "nursing support staff" and mandates that nursing homes include certified nursing assistants on their quality assurance committees. Additionally, the bill revises terminology to distinguish between different types of nursing assistants and ensures workplace safety committees consult with these staff members.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 452: Individual Tax Preparers - Code of Ethics, Notification of Actions, Enforcement, and Penalties (Stop Scam Tax Preparers Act)

This bill establishes a formal code of ethics and rules of professional conduct for individual tax preparers in Maryland, requiring the State Board to publish these standards on its website by January 1, 2026. It strengthens enforcement by mandating that the Board notify the Comptroller and the Field Enforcement Bureau within five business days of any disciplinary actions or alleged violations, while also granting Bureau employees peace officer powers to enforce tax preparation laws. Additionally, the legislation allows the Board to seek court injunctions against violators without the usual requirement to prove irreparable harm or post a bond, and it directs fines collected under the act to a fund supporting free tax clinics for low-income residents.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 1093: Anne Arundel County - Human Relations Commission - Subpoena Enforcement

This bill authorizes the Anne Arundel County Human Relations Commission to enforce subpoenas when individuals refuse to comply. It allows the commission to request a court order compelling witnesses to appear or produce documents and electronic records if they ignore the subpoena. If a person still fails to obey the court's order, they may face penalties for contempt of court. The law applies only to Anne Arundel County and takes effect on October 1, 2024.

signed · Maryland · Senate May 16, 2024

SB 379: Task Force to Study Crime Classification - Renaming, Membership, and Duties

This bill amends the Maryland Task Force to Study Crime Classification by renaming it the Task Force to Study Crime Reclassification and Penalties and shifting its focus from classifying offenses to reviewing their penalties and potential reclassification. The legislation updates the task force's membership to include representatives from the Attorney General's office, state's attorneys, public defenders, domestic violence advocates, and the sentencing commission, while also adding two members appointed by the Maryland State Bar Association. Its primary duties involve examining penalties across various criminal and civil laws to determine if offenses should be reclassified based on severity, whether penalties are too lenient or severe, and if statutory changes are needed for crimes lacking a specific intent requirement. The task force is required to submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly by December 31, 2025, and the act will remain in effect until June 30, 2026.

signed · Maryland · Senate May 16, 2024

SB 287: Department of State Police - Professional Occupations - Application Process

This bill updates the application process for Maryland State Police certifications for private detectives, security guards, security systems technicians, and railroad police officers. It grants the Secretary of State Police the authority to decide the specific format and method for submitting these 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. Additionally, the legislation modifies insurance requirements for security guard agencies and clarifies the information needed on license applications for both individuals and firms.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 103: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Dental Services - Coverage and Rate Study

This bill directs the Maryland Department of Health to study whether the state's Healthy Smiles Dental Program should cover specific services like dentures and home visits for patients. The study must also determine if reimbursement rates for these services should be set at least 60% of commercial rates or American Dental Association benchmarks to ensure providers can afford to treat patients. To inform this analysis, the department is required to gather feedback from professional dental organizations and groups advocating for low-income oral health. The department must complete this feasibility study and submit its findings to state legislative committees by December 1, 2024.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 1076: Education - Blind and Visually Impaired Students - Textbook Equity

This bill establishes requirements for Maryland county school boards to ensure blind and visually impaired students receive textbooks in specialized formats like braille, audio, or digital text. It mandates that textbook publishers provide electronic files to a state center for conversion into these accessible formats and requires the state to cover costs when specialized versions are unavailable. Additionally, the legislation clarifies that students with some remaining vision cannot be denied braille instruction solely based on their vision level, while also setting new standards for teachers of these students.

Bill results