Maryland Bills

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 1092: 9-1-1 Trust Fund - Purposes - Training in Telecommunications Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

HB 1092 requires the Maryland 9-1-1 Board to create training standards for public safety answering point personnel that include high-quality telecommunications cardiopulmonary resuscitation instruction. This training must follow current national emergency care guidelines, cover recognition protocols for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, and teach compression-only CPR techniques. The bill also updates the 9-1-1 Trust Fund to allow money from this source to pay for these specific CPR training costs. These changes aim to better equip 9-1-1 operators to provide life-saving guidance during cardiac emergencies.

Kevin Harris (D) Jamila Woods (D) Harry Bhandari (D) Deni Taveras (D) Diana Fennell (D)

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 960: City of Frederick - Assignment of Offenders to Road Work - Repeal

This bill repeals a specific Maryland law that allowed judges in Frederick to order people convicted of local violations to work on public roads. By removing this provision, the legislation ends the practice of assigning offenders to road labor in the City of Frederick and Frederick County. The change also eliminates the related rules regarding how these workers must be guarded by local officials. Effective October 1, 2024, this update means courts can no longer use road work as a penalty for municipal law violations in this area.

signed · Maryland · Senate May 16, 2024

SB 1105: Income Tax - Individual Income Tax Credit Eligibility Awareness Campaign

This Maryland law requires the Comptroller to run a campaign helping individuals find out if they qualify for state income tax credits. The program will identify people who might be eligible but have not yet applied, using data shared with other state agencies under strict privacy rules. Starting in fiscal year 2026, the Governor must set aside $300,000 annually to fund these efforts, and the Comptroller will report progress to the General Assembly every two years.

signed · Maryland · Senate May 16, 2024

SB 362: Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act of 2024

This bill, titled the Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act of 2024, serves as a comprehensive update to Maryland's state budget by adjusting funding levels, modifying tax rates, and changing administrative rules across various sectors. It directly affects schools, colleges, healthcare providers, transportation companies, and vehicle owners by altering prekindergarten enrollment rules, adjusting aid to private universities, and implementing new fees for rideshare services and electronic smoking devices. Key provisions include establishing a new impact fee on transportation network companies to fund transit bonds, increasing taxes on certain tobacco and vehicle-related items, and repealing several previous funding requirements and commissions. Additionally, the legislation clarifies how certain special funds are calculated and distributed while removing the mandate for the governor to provide physical copies of budget documents. Overall, the act aims to reallocate financial resources and update regulations to reflect current economic and policy needs within the state.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 1065: Public Safety - Maryland Entertainment District Security Grant Program

This bill establishes the Maryland Entertainment District Security Grant Program to help fund security operations in areas with high concentrations of bars, hookah lounges, or live entertainment venues. The program is designed to assist community organizations, nonprofits, and local governments in places where police call volumes for reported crimes are higher than average during times of heavy pedestrian traffic. An application process will be created by the Governor's Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services, which will set specific criteria for eligibility based on business density, foot traffic, and crime statistics. Starting in fiscal year 2026, the state may annually appropriate up to $1 million to a special fund dedicated solely to these grants and administrative costs.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 1340: Wicomico County - Alcoholic Beverages - Monopoly of Liquor Control Board and Dispensary - Repeal

This bill repeals the exclusive monopoly held by the Wicomico County Liquor Control Board on the wholesale sale and distribution of certain alcoholic beverages. It allows holders of specific liquor licenses to purchase alcohol directly from private wholesalers or from county dispensaries, rather than being forced to buy only from the government-run board. Additionally, the legislation removes restrictions on wholesalers delivering liquor within the county and adjusts pricing rules to cap dispensary markups at 15% above operating costs. These changes effectively open the local alcohol market to private competition while maintaining some regulatory oversight over dispensary operations.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 975: Somerset County – Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Medical Services

This bill authorizes Somerset County Commissioners to create or designate a new entity to manage fire, rescue, and emergency medical services while maintaining the county's volunteer-based system. It requires the commissioners to establish an Emergency Services Advisory Council to provide recommendations on the operations of these services. The legislation takes effect on October 1, 2024, giving the county greater flexibility to organize its emergency response infrastructure.

signed · Maryland · Senate May 16, 2024

SB 473: Economic Development - Entrepreneurial Innovation Programs - Establishment (Pava LaPere Legacy of Innovation Act of 2024)

This bill establishes two new programs within the Maryland Technology Development Corporation to support technology-based start-up companies in the Baltimore area. The first program provides grants of up to $50,000 to startups founded by students or faculty at local universities, requiring that at least 20% of the funds be used to hire third-party consultants for planning and technical assistance. The second program, a pilot initiative, offers incentives to eligible universities to foster entrepreneurship, industry partnerships, and commercialization projects, particularly those involving artificial intelligence or machine learning in healthcare and biotechnology. Additionally, the legislation repeals a previous mandated appropriation for a telework assistance grant program and requires annual budget allocations for these new innovation initiatives.

signed · Maryland · Senate May 16, 2024

SB 134: Office of the Correctional Ombudsman - Establishment and Funding

This bill establishes the Office of the Correctional Ombudsman within the Office of the Attorney General to investigate complaints and administrative actions involving the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services and the Department of Juvenile Services. The new unit will have the authority to conduct reviews, refer matters for criminal or disciplinary action, and subpoena testimony or evidence, while also protecting employees who provide information from reprisals. Funding for the office will come from a portion of savings generated by prison population reductions, as determined by the Justice Reinvestment Oversight Board. Additionally, the bill transfers the existing Juvenile Justice Monitoring Unit into this new ombudsman office and creates an advisory board to oversee its operations.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 1143: Emergency Medical Services - Maryland Emergency Department Wait Time Reduction Commission - Establishment

This bill establishes the Maryland Emergency Department Wait Time Reduction Commission within the state's Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems to address long wait times in hospital emergency rooms. The commission will be composed of representatives from health agencies, hospitals, patient advocates, and various medical professionals who will work together to assess current services and develop strategies for improvement. Key provisions include creating standardized operational protocols, implementing advanced technology solutions, and launching training programs to enhance efficiency and patient care. Additionally, the commission is authorized to request data from healthcare entities and requires these entities to sign agreements allowing the sharing of necessary information to monitor performance.

signed · Maryland · Senate May 16, 2024

SB 658: Anne Arundel County - Sheriff - Salary

This bill establishes a new salary structure for the Sheriff of Anne Arundel County, Maryland, effective October 1, 2024. Under the new plan, the Sheriff will receive a fixed annual salary of $133,000 through the end of 2024. Starting in 2025, the Sheriff's pay will be tied to the compensation of a Captain at step 20 within the Anne Arundel County Police Department pay scale. The law also specifies that these salary changes apply only to terms of office beginning after the bill's effective date.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 1083: Alcoholic Beverages - Class 4 Limited Winery License - Requirements and Authorizations

This bill updates the rules for Class 4 limited winery licenses in Maryland to allow producers to make wine and brandy using a wider variety of state-grown agricultural products instead of requiring them to use only grapes. It changes the ownership requirement so that license holders must either own at least 20 acres of Maryland-grown crops or ensure that over half of their wine ingredients come from the state. The legislation also removes the ability to blend purchased finished wine with their own production, while permitting the purchase of up to 75% of finished wine made entirely from Maryland-grown ingredients. Additionally, it expands the list of specific foods that winery license holders can prepare and sell on-site, such as ice cream, jam, and pizza, and clarifies that these activities can occur seven days a week between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m.

Bill results