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Maryland Bills

Track legislation and stay informed about the bills that matter to you.

State Legislature US Congress
All 26,430 Active 0 In committee 1,368 Passed 3,332 Signed 7,901 Failed 2,336

Bill results

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 2, 2025

HB 1127: Public Schools - Water Safety - Instructional Content

HB 1127 requires all Maryland county school districts to develop age-appropriate water safety and swimming instructional content for public school students, integrating it into health and physical education by July 2026. It also mandates each county board to create a plan by December 2025 outlining strategies to increase student access to swimming pools and facilities through community partnerships, cost-effective transportation, and resource coordination. The plan must identify public/private partners and recommend policy changes if needed. Implementation of the curriculum begins in the 2026-2027 school year, while the access plan requirement expires June 30, 2026. This bill directly affects all public school students in Maryland counties and their local school districts.
Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates age-appropriate water safety curriculum integration and access plans for swimming facilities, expanding student programs and educational access in K-12 schools.95% confidence
Jason Buckel (R) Jheanelle Wilkins (D) Mary Lehman (D) Kevin Harris (D) Deni Taveras (D)
passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 2, 2025

HB 1138: Higher Education - Private Career Schools - Advertising

HB 1138 allows private career schools in Maryland to advertise programs and collect potential student contact information before receiving full approval from the Maryland Higher Education Commission. It directly affects new or expanding private career schools that are preparing to open but lack their final operating certificate. Schools must first complete a market survey, secure property, finish building preparations, and obtain necessary permits (excluding the certificate), demonstrate a high likelihood of approval, and get the Secretary's written permission. The bill requires all such advertising to clearly state the school is "pending approval" and specifies that the Secretary will create regulations for the approval process. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.
Kris Fair (D)
passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 2, 2025

HB 1383: State Board of Education - Online Special Education System - Technical Requirements

HB 1383 requires Maryland's State Board of Education to establish minimum technical standards for the state's online special education systems, specifically the Maryland Online Individualized Education Program (IEP) and Maryland Online Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). It directs the State Department of Education to study and report on security, real-time monitoring capabilities, document processing, and compliance with privacy laws by October 2025. The State Board must then report to the Governor and General Assembly by December 2025 on the study results and proposed regulations. This bill directly affects public schools, educators, and families using these online systems by mandating functional improvements to ensure reliable, accessible special education services. The policy change focuses on concrete technical requirements rather than program content.
Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires technical standards for online special education systems to improve functionality, security, and compliance, strengthening educational access for students with disabilities.85% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRequires security and privacy compliance studies for online education systems, directly advancing data privacy protections per bill's focus on compliance with privacy laws.90% confidence
Jason Buckel (R) Joe Vogel (D) Christopher Bouchat (R) Susan McComas (R) April Rose (R)
passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 2, 2025

HB 920: Institutions of Postsecondary Education - Institutional Debt - Report

HB 920 requires Maryland colleges and universities to submit annual reports to the Maryland Higher Education Commission detailing student debt data. The reports must include total institutional debt (tuition, fees, room/board), broken down by student demographics (race, age, residency, etc.), debt collection status, and debt resolution methods like payment plans or charge-offs. Institutions face civil penalties for failing to submit reports or providing inaccurate information, with the Commission required to follow specific notice and hearing procedures before imposing penalties. The Commission must then summarize these reports for the Maryland General Assembly by December 1 each year, starting in 2027. This bill focuses on transparency around student debt without altering debt collection practices or financial aid policies.
Lesley Lopez (D) Aaron Kaufman (D) Jen Terrasa (D) Ryan Spiegel (D)
passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 2, 2025

HB 762: Maryland Higher Education Commission - Higher Education Goals - Revisions

HB 762 revises Maryland's higher education goals by replacing specific past targets with a new framework for the Maryland Higher Education Commission. It repeals the previous 2025 goal of 55% of adults holding associate degrees and the community college transfer target, instead requiring the Commission to set four new goals: adult degree attainment, annual credential completion, research aligned with workforce needs, and other necessary policies. The bill directly affects the Commission, which must establish these goals by October 1, 2025. This shifts focus from fixed numerical targets to a flexible, ongoing process for setting education priorities.
Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill establishes new higher education goals focused on adult degree attainment, credential completion, and workforce-aligned research, replacing outdated targets to advance educational outcomes without defunding or restricting.92% confidence
passed · Maryland · Senate Apr 2, 2025

SB 392: Bicycles, Play Vehicles, and Unicycles - Authorizations and Requirements (Jay's Law)

SB 392 allows people to ride bicycles, play vehicles, or unicycles on sidewalks or sidewalk areas in Maryland unless local laws prohibit it. It requires riders to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and people using electric mobility devices when traveling on sidewalks or in crosswalks. The bill amends Maryland’s transportation code to clarify these rules, removing previous restrictions that generally banned sidewalk riding for these vehicles. This change directly affects cyclists, parents of young riders, and pedestrians in communities without local sidewalk riding bans.
Topics ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationClarifies sidewalk riding rules for cyclists, requiring yield to pedestrians to enhance safety under transportation regulations, aligning with 'enhances transportation safety' indicator.90% confidence
Jeff Waldstreicher (D)
passed · Maryland · Senate Apr 2, 2025

SB 76: Tidal Fish Licenses - Oyster Authorizations - Administrative Penalties

This bill changes penalties for oyster fishing violations in Maryland. It requires the Department of Natural Resources to suspend (not revoke) oyster licenses for certain offenses instead of permanently removing them, with suspensions lasting up to 2 years for first violations or 10 years for repeat offenses. The bill also creates specific conditions for reinstating revoked licenses: after at least 2 years for a first offense or 10 years for a second or subsequent offense. It applies directly to oyster harvesters who hold licenses under Maryland's oyster fishery regulations. The changes take effect July 1, 2025.
Jack Bailey (R)
passed · Maryland · Senate Apr 2, 2025

SB 429: Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Act

SB 429, the "Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Act," reforms school funding formulas and creates new education programs for Maryland public schools. It adjusts key funding amounts per student (like the "target per pupil foundation amount"), establishes new grants for teacher recruitment and relocation, and creates a Career Counseling Program for middle and high school students. The bill requires school districts to develop community school plans, modifies special education funding, and creates an Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact to ease teacher licensing across states. These changes directly affect Maryland public schools, teachers, school districts, and workforce development boards.
Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill increases school funding through revised formulas, new teacher grants, and program allocations, directly advancing public education budget priorities.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAdjusts school funding per student, creates teacher recruitment grants, and establishes career counseling programs for students.95% confidence
Nick Charles (D) Cheryl Kagan (D) Nancy King (D) Chris West (R) Clarence Lam (D)
passed · Maryland · Senate Apr 2, 2025

SB 486: School Health and Wellness Personnel Assessment and Maryland Council on Advancement of School-Based Health Centers

SB 486 requires the Maryland Department of Health and State Department of Education to jointly conduct an annual assessment of school health and wellness personnel (including counselors, nurses, psychologists, and therapists) working in school-based health centers. The assessment must track staffing ratios to students, vacancy rates by provider type, and gather feedback on recruitment and retention strategies from school systems and health departments. Starting December 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, the departments must submit a report on these findings to the Maryland General Assembly. The bill also updates the membership of the Maryland Council on Advancement of School-Based Health Centers to include a school nurse representative and adjust voting member counts. This legislation focuses on data-driven oversight of school health staffing without creating new funding or direct service requirements.
Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires annual assessment of school health staff (counselors, nurses, etc.) to improve staffing ratios and retention, directly supporting student wellness and educational access within schools.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates annual assessment of school health personnel staffing to improve mental health services access, aligning with healthcare support indicators by addressing recruitment/retention gaps in school-based health centers.85% confidence
Clarence Lam (D)
passed · Maryland · Senate Apr 2, 2025

SB 428: Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act

SB 428 establishes Maryland’s Leaders in Environmentally Engaged Farming (LEEF) Program to incentivize farmers adopting conservation practices that protect the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The bill creates a special fund to support tiered recognition for farmers who implement specific practices like cover crops, riparian buffers, soil health management, and community-focused initiatives (e.g., supporting local food systems or mentoring new farmers). It directly affects Maryland farmers participating in the program, requiring the Department of Agriculture to develop evaluation criteria and promote eligible practices that reduce nutrients/sediment while enhancing farm profitability. Key provisions include defining "community best practices," mandating the Department to coordinate with conservation and agricultural groups, and authorizing state funds to accelerate adoption of these environmentally beneficial farming methods.
Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates special fund to incentivize conservation practices, directly allocating state resources for environmental protection program funding.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentCreates LEEF Program funding conservation practices (cover crops, riparian buffers) to protect Chesapeake Bay watershed, directly advancing environmental protection through farmer incentives and watershed conservation.95% confidence
Mary Washington (D) Cheryl Kagan (D) Ben Brooks (D) Dawn Gile (D) Shelly Hettleman (D)
passed · Maryland · Senate Apr 2, 2025

SB 118: Motor Vehicles - Speed Monitoring Systems - Penalties

SB 118 establishes a tiered civil penalty system for speeding violations recorded by speed monitoring systems (like photo radar). It sets specific fines based on how much a driver exceeded the speed limit: $40 for 12-15 mph over, $55 for 16-19 mph, $95 for 20-29 mph, $180 for 30-39 mph, and $350 for 40+ mph over. The bill also restricts where these systems can be used, requiring local authorization after public hearings and limiting deployment to residential areas (35 mph zones), school zones, specific highways in Anne Arundel/Montgomery/Prince George's counties, and near college campuses. This directly affects drivers caught speeding in these designated locations by such systems, with penalties payable without court appearance if chosen.
Topics ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationEnforces speed limits via tiered penalties in high-risk zones (school/residential), directly enhancing road safety - a core transportation safety measure.90% confidence
Jeff Waldstreicher (D)
passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 1, 2025

HB 1169: Howard County and Montgomery County - Board of Education - Mandatory School Holidays MC 6-25

HB 1169 requires Montgomery County public schools to close on specific religious holidays, including the first weekday of Diwali, Eid al-Adha, Eid al-Fitr, Lunar New Year, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur. This applies only to Montgomery County schools (unlike other counties that may stay open for election days) and mandates closures for all school buildings and offices on those days. The bill amends Maryland’s education code to add these holidays to the mandatory closure list, while maintaining existing closures for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. It does not change the total required school days or hours but specifies when schools must be closed for these additional observances. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.
Showing 457 to 468 of 3,332 bills
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