Maryland Bills

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 558: Prince George's County - Alcoholic Beverages - Wine Festival Licenses PG 316-26

HB 558 removes an annual limit on wine festival licenses in Prince George’s County, allowing the Board of License Commissioners to issue multiple licenses each year instead of just one. It directly affects organizers of wine festivals who hold existing retail, Class 3 winery, or Class 4 winery licenses. Key provisions include requiring festivals to avoid conflicts with other county wine events (like Carroll or Howard County festivals), promote Maryland wine, and operate only during designated weekend hours. The bill also clarifies that wine sold at these festivals must be sourced from Maryland-licensed distributors and delivered directly to the event site.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 583: Prince George’s County – Alcoholic Beverages – Notice of Issuance of Class C Per Diem Beer, Wine, and Liquor License PG 319–26

HB 583 updates Prince George’s County’s process for notifying authorities when issuing temporary event alcohol licenses (Class C per diem). It amends the law to require the Board of License Commissioners to send license notices to the County Police Chief, County Fire Chief, and the newly named Department of Permitting, Inspections, and Enforcement (replacing the previous "Department of Environmental Resources"), plus the local municipal chief if applicable. The bill changes only the department name in the notification list and specifies notices must include event time, place, and expected size. It takes effect July 1, 2026, and directly affects county licensing officials and local safety departments.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 326: Education - Maryland Center for School Safety - Anonymous Reporting System

HB 326 requires the Maryland Center for School Safety to develop and operate an anonymous reporting system for school safety concerns. This system allows students, staff, and others to report safety issues without revealing their identity. Local school systems must participate in the system (with one specified exception), and the Center must create operational guidelines, provide training, and protect the confidentiality of all related information. The bill also mandates that custodians of records deny public inspection of materials connected to the anonymous reporting system.

Topics ✓ Education

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 325: Education - Professional Standards and Teacher Education Board - Composition

HB 325 changes the makeup of Maryland's Professional Standards and Teacher Education Board. It removes one position for a certified nonpublic school classroom teacher and adds two positions for representatives from the Maryland Association of Nonpublic Special Education Facilities. The bill alters the board's composition by replacing the single nonpublic school teacher seat with two seats for special education facilities, while maintaining other membership categories like public school teachers and education faculty. These changes take effect July 1, 2026, and directly affect how the board is structured to represent different education sectors.

Topics ✓ Education

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 378: Public Libraries - Young Readers Matching Grant Program, Funding, and Services

SB 378 updates Maryland's funding formula for regional library resource centers and county public libraries, increasing per-resident funding from $8.75 (2022) to $11.58 (2032 and beyond) for regional centers, and from $17.10 (2022) to $22.37 (2032 and beyond) for county libraries. It requires each public library to offer at least one new service, such as early childhood literacy programs, digital equity initiatives, or mental health support, by partnering with community organizations. The bill also mandates that libraries adopt written policies meeting state standards to receive state funding, with the Comptroller withholding funds for non-compliance. These changes affect all 23 Maryland county library systems and their regional resource centers, directly impacting how they allocate state funds and deliver services. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education ✓ Technology

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 311: Public Schools - Individuals With Disabilities - Accessibility and Emergency Planning

HB 311 requires Maryland public schools to include accessibility for students with disabilities in routine safety evaluations and emergency planning. It mandates that school systems report annually on instances where a facility became inaccessible for a disabled student in a way that could impede evacuation or emergency response. These reports must remain confidential, exempt from public records laws, and only discloseable to legislators upon request. The bill directly affects local school systems and students with disabilities by ensuring accessibility is prioritized in safety protocols. It amends Maryland’s education code to integrate disability accessibility into standard emergency planning procedures.

Topics ✓ Education

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 334: Criminal Law - Firearm Crimes - Machine Gun Convertible Pistols

SB 334 prohibits the manufacture, sale, purchase, transfer, or possession of "machine gun convertible pistols" after a specified date. These are defined as semi-automatic pistols with a specific trigger mechanism that can be easily converted to fire automatically using common tools or a "pistol converter" (including 3D-printed versions). The law exempts law enforcement, licensed dealers acting within their business, and certain inheritances or transfers. It amends Maryland's criminal code to specifically ban these devices while clarifying related terms like "rapid fire activators." The bill targets the conversion capability, not standard semi-automatic pistols.

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 335: Landlord and Tenant - Discrimination in Housing for Income-Based Housing Subsidies and Positive Rental History Reporting

This bill prohibits landlords from refusing to rent to potential tenants who use income-based housing subsidies (like federal housing vouchers) based on the tenant's income, credit score, or past credit history that occurred before they received the subsidy. It directly affects landlords and tenants using such subsidies, ensuring they cannot be discriminated against for relying on government assistance to pay rent. The law amends Maryland's housing discrimination statutes to clarify that such refusals constitute a discriminatory practice enforceable by the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights, with a limited exception for properties receiving funding that requires income verification for tenant eligibility.

Topics ✓ Housing

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 401: Anne Arundel County - Board of License Commissioners and Part-Time Inspectors - Compensation

SB 401 increases minimum annual salaries for Anne Arundel County's Board of License Commissioners and part-time inspectors who regulate alcohol and cannabis licenses. The bill raises the chair's salary to $21,240 (from $18,000), other board members to $17,700 (from $15,000), and part-time inspectors to $8,260 each (from $7,000), all including cost-of-living adjustments available to county employees. It also sets a minimum $18,000 salary for a part-time deputy chief inspector. The changes apply to county officials handling licensing and take effect July 1, 2026.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 396: Residential Child Care Programs - Education of Children and Training of Child and Youth Care Practitioners

HB 396 requires operators of licensed residential child care programs (like group homes and emergency shelters) to ensure children aged 5-16 in their care receive proper education. It mandates enrolling children in local schools (or approved in-house programs), transferring academic records, meeting with teachers, and providing study time, homework help, and support for extracurricular activities or individualized education plans. The bill also sets new training standards for child care practitioners, requiring background checks, education credentials, and approved training on child development and their role. These changes directly affect residential programs receiving state funding and their staff in Maryland.

Topics ✓ Education

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 379: Recovery Residence Grant Program - Funding

This bill ensures Maryland's Recovery Residence Grant Program receives $500,000 annually from fiscal years 2024 through 2030 by requiring this funding be included in the state's annual budget. It directly supports recovery residences (such as sober living facilities) that provide housing and support services for people in addiction recovery. The law updates existing funding rules to extend the annual budget requirement through 2030, preventing potential funding gaps. This creates a stable funding mechanism for these community-based recovery programs.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Healthcare ✓ Housing

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 396: Anne Arundel County - Board of License Commissioners - Chief Inspector - Compensation

SB 396 increases the minimum and maximum salary range for the chief inspector position on Anne Arundel County's Board of License Commissioners, which oversees alcohol beverage licensing in the county. The bill amends Maryland's Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis code to adjust the chief inspector's pay scale within the county's non-represented salary structure (updating from "NR-05 NR-15" to "NR-05"). This directly affects the chief inspector employee and the county's budget for this specific role. The changes take effect July 1, 2026, and do not alter licensing regulations or other board responsibilities.

Bill results