HB 899 prohibits private home detention monitoring agencies, their agents, or courthouse/correctional facility employees from soliciting business or advertising services on courthouse or correctional facility grounds. Specifically, it bans approaching people to use a specific agency’s services, distributing promotional materials, or otherwise soliciting business in these locations. Violations carry fines up to $5,000 and potential license suspensions for licensed individuals. The bill directly affects home detention monitoring agencies and their representatives, as well as facility staff, by restricting their marketing activities on public property. It takes effect October 1, 2026.
HB 1030 expands Maryland's existing threat laws to specifically protect judges and judge-elects. The bill amends Section 3-708 of the Criminal Law to explicitly include "a judge or judge-elect" in the list of protected individuals (alongside state/local officials and prosecutors). It also adds a new subsection (VII) to Section 14-107 of the Criminal Procedure law, authorizing the State Prosecutor to investigate threats against judges or judge-elects. This change ensures judges receive the same legal protections against threats as other designated officials under current law. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.
SB 531 prohibits law enforcement agencies from requesting verbal acknowledgments from victims of sexually assaultive behavior that would limit investigations, prevent prosecutions, or restrict the victim's legal rights. The bill requires agencies to document any victim request to limit or pause an investigation and follow recommended practices for follow-up. Victims who believe the law was violated can seek court orders to address the issue. This law directly affects sexual assault victims interacting with police and mandates new policies for all Maryland law enforcement agencies by January 2021. It takes effect on October 1, 2026.
SB 634 authorizes Maryland's State Prosecutor to investigate threats against judges or judge-elects. The bill amends the State Prosecutor's authority under Criminal Procedure Section 14-107 to explicitly include investigations of threats violating Criminal Law Section 3-708 when directed at judges or judge-elects. This expands existing protections for officials covered under the law, which previously included state/local officials, prosecutors, and public defenders but not judges. The key change is adding judges to the list of protected individuals whose threats trigger the State Prosecutor's investigative role, without altering penalty levels for making threats. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.
SB 540 prohibits private home detention monitoring agencies, their agents, and courthouse or correctional facility employees from soliciting business or promoting services on courthouse or correctional facility grounds. Specifically, it bans approaching individuals to use their services, distributing promotional materials, or otherwise soliciting business in these locations. The law applies directly to agencies providing home detention monitoring services and staff working at courthouses or correctional facilities. Violations are punishable as misdemeanors with fines up to $5,000 and potential license suspensions for licensed individuals.
SB 578 requires Maryland's Department of State Police to establish and publish approved rates for police-initiated towing services by January 2024, covering light-, medium-, and heavy-duty towing categories. It bans "per pound billing" by authorized towing companies on the Department's tow list after October 2023 and creates a new committee with industry representatives to set rates and handle complaints. The bill directly affects towing companies contracted by police, vehicle owners whose vehicles are towed, and the Department of State Police. Key provisions include standardizing pricing, prohibiting variable weight-based fees, and creating a formal process for resolving disputes over towing charges.
SB 544 establishes minimum security staffing requirements for all Maryland courthouses. It requires courthouse security providers to have specific numbers of qualified officers present during proceedings: one officer per courtroom for most cases (starting July 2027), two officers for cases involving incarcerated individuals or potential custody changes, and one additional officer for every four or fewer courtrooms per floor. Security officers must meet the qualifications for a special police officer under Maryland law. The standards phase in over time, with full implementation by July 1, 2029, and take effect October 1, 2026. This directly affects all Maryland courthouses and the security entities responsible for staffing them.
SB 215 updates Maryland laws to better support veterans and active uniformed service members. It standardizes definitions like "military protection order" and "active service member" across multiple state codes, ensuring all uniformed services (including National Guard) receive consistent protections. Key changes include: allowing service members on leave to fish without a trout stamp using official leave orders, modifying landlord remedies to protect active-duty renters, and updating eligibility for veterans' benefits. The bill also adjusts how the Maryland Veterans Trust Fund is administered to better serve veterans. These changes directly affect veterans, active service members, and local governments managing related programs.
SB 184 changes the annual reporting deadline for Maryland's Attorney General's Environmental and Natural Resources Crimes Unit. It moves the required report to the Governor and General Assembly from November 30 to October 1 each year. The report must cover the Unit's activities during the previous fiscal year and actions taken by the Department of the Environment or Department of Natural Resources in response to the Unit's findings. This bill directly affects the Office of the Attorney General and the reporting requirements for these state agencies. The change takes effect July 1, 2026.
SB 35 designates the Natural History Society of Maryland as Maryland's official State Natural Science Museum. This bill formally recognizes the Society's role through a change in state law (renumbering sections and adding Section 7-326), effective October 1, 2026, with no new funding or policy requirements.
SB 189 requires Maryland municipalities to install approved covers (grating systems) on all open drainage inlets - both new and existing - to prevent large debris from entering stormwater systems while allowing rainwater flow. It specifically mandates that these covers must be secured to prevent removal by hand or floodwaters and lists four approved types, including standard yard inlets and trash racks meeting size requirements. Municipalities must install these systems on existing inlets by June 1, 2027, and include them in all new inlets starting October 1, 2026. The law directly affects all Maryland municipalities by changing how they maintain public drainage infrastructure.
SB 241 automatically restores voting rights for Maryland residents released from state correctional facilities who were previously registered to vote. The Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services must send weekly lists of released individuals (including new addresses) to the State Board of Elections, which then automatically reinstates their voter registration at the provided address. The bill prohibits disclosing that someone was restored through this process under public information laws. It directly affects people released from facilities like Patuxent Institution and Baltimore City Detention Center who were registered before incarceration. The law takes effect January 1, 2027.
