HB 404 creates a state income tax credit for parents and legal guardians who volunteer in Prince George's County elementary or secondary schools. Eligible taxpayers (parents/guardians of enrolled students who volunteer) can claim a credit of $20 per volunteer hour, capped at $500 annually, based on a tax credit certificate issued by the school or county board. The State Department of Education must develop an application process, and school administrators or county representatives will issue certificates verifying volunteer hours. The credit is refundable if it exceeds the taxpayer's state income tax liability for the year. The bill applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024, and takes effect July 1, 2025.
SB 405 requires manufacturers of fully autonomous vehicles operating on Maryland highways to maintain a human safety operator in the vehicle and submit detailed incident reports to the Motor Vehicle Administration. These reports cover collisions, unadjudicated traffic violations, disengagements (when autonomous mode stops), and passenger/operator assaults. Manufacturers must include specific details like collision causes, weather conditions, vehicle performance data, and plain-language explanations of disengagements. The law takes effect December 1, 2025, and mandates annual disengagement reports. The Motor Vehicle Administration will analyze this data to provide safety recommendations to the General Assembly.
This bill expands Maryland's sales tax exemption for baby products to include new items like toilet training chairs, strollers, infant safety furniture, textiles (such as baby clothing and blankets), certain foods, and baby monitors. It amends existing tax code sections (11-211(c) and 11-244) to add these categories to the list of tax-exempt purchases, which previously covered diapers, baby food, and basic hygiene items. The exemption applies directly to parents and caregivers purchasing these specific products, removing sales tax from qualifying items. The changes take effect on July 1, 2025.
HB 536 updates Maryland's school health policies to allow school personnel to administer emergency epinephrine for anaphylaxis (severe allergic reactions) without requiring a student to have a prior diagnosis or prescription. It changes the term "auto-injectable epinephrine" to "emergency use epinephrine" and renames the program to "Emergency Use Epinephrine Program" to include all FDA-approved delivery devices. The bill requires schools to train staff on recognizing anaphylaxis symptoms and administering epinephrine, and mandates reporting incidents to the state education department. These changes directly affect public and nonpublic schools, school nurses, and staff who may need to respond to allergic emergencies.
SB 53 requires Maryland's Department of Natural Resources to establish regulations allowing commercial crab harvesters (specifically those using trotline gear) to begin catching crabs 4 hours before sunrise from July 1 to September 30 each year. It also mandates an additional early work hour on Labor Day, Memorial Day, July 4, and the day before each holiday for licensees using all legal gear. The bill does not change existing license fees for crab-related activities or equipment. Regulations must include public hearings before taking effect, with notice published in affected regions.
HB 863 amends Maryland's library standards to clarify that programming (such as events or workshops) is a required service libraries must provide to all patrons. It updates sections 4-142(a) for school libraries and 23-102.1(b) for public libraries to explicitly include "programming" and "programs" in the list of services, while reinforcing prohibitions against removing materials due to the creator's background, views, or partisan/ideological reasons. The bill directly affects public libraries and school library media programs across Maryland, requiring them to maintain inclusive programming and avoid censorship based on content. It takes effect July 1, 2025.
This bill changes Maryland law to require condominium unit owners to pay up to $20,000 of insurance deductibles when damage originates from their unit (e.g., a fire caused by a unit owner's negligence). Previously, the limit was $10,000. If the deductible exceeds $20,000, the condominium association covers the remaining amount as a common expense. The bill also mandates that associations annually notify unit owners in writing about their deductible responsibility and the specific amount. This directly affects unit owners whose actions cause damage and condominium associations managing insurance costs.
HB 377 creates a refundable income tax credit for employers in Prince George’s County who provide "parental engagement leave" to qualified employees. This leave (10-20 hours per year, paid at regular wage) allows parents or legal guardians of PG County school students to attend school-related meetings or events. Employers claim the credit by attaching a certification form - requiring signatures from school officials (e.g., principal and county board member) - to their tax return, with the credit capped at $800 per employee annually. The bill directly affects PG County employers and their employees with school-aged children enrolled in local public or nonpublic schools.
This bill (HB 1040) establishes requirements for financial institutions (banks and credit unions) in Maryland to create and implement community benefit plans. It requires these institutions to develop measurable goals for providing loans, investments, and services to low- and moderate-income individuals and distressed communities when applying for new licenses, branches, or mergers. The bill also mandates annual public reporting on progress toward these goals, creates a Community Reinvestment Fund for community development activities, and establishes oversight by the Commissioner of Financial Regulation. *Note: The bill's title incorrectly references "condominium reserve accounts"; the actual content focuses on financial institutions' community benefit plans, not real property or condominiums.*
SB 297 requires sign language interpreters providing services in Maryland to hold a state license beginning July 1, 2026. It directly affects all interpreters working in the state who currently provide interpretation services or claim to be licensed. The bill amends existing law to set this new effective date (replacing a previous January 2025 deadline) and allows current members of the State Board of Sign Language Interpreters to use existing national certifications to meet the requirement before July 1, 2026. The legislation establishes a clear licensing timeline for interpreters without creating new certification standards.
SB 527 grants City of Salisbury fire and explosive investigators the same arrest authority as the State Fire Marshal for specific fire-related crimes, such as setting fires to buildings or making false fire alarms. This applies when investigating incidents within Salisbury, aligning their powers with existing provisions for Hagerstown and Howard County investigators. The bill also allows the City Fire Chief to limit this authority as needed. It directly affects Salisbury's fire investigators and their ability to enforce fire safety laws. The law modifies Maryland's Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure codes to add Salisbury as a jurisdiction with this specific enforcement authority.
HB 636 increases the maximum deductible amount a unit owner must pay for insurance when damage originates from their unit - from $10,000 to $20,000. It directly affects unit owners whose units caused damage and condominium associations (councils of unit owners), requiring associations to notify owners annually about their deductible responsibility. If the deductible exceeds $20,000, the excess becomes a common expense paid by all owners. The bill applies to all condominium insurance policies issued on or after October 1, 2025, and amends Maryland’s Real Property code to clarify insurance cost responsibilities.
