Maryland Bills | MyRepTracker

passed both · Maryland · Senate Apr 13, 2026

SB 866: Public Health - Chain Restaurants - Disclosure and Notice to Customers of Sodium and Added Sugars

SB 866 requires chain restaurants with 20 or more locations in Maryland to display warning icons next to menu items exceeding 1,150mg sodium or 25mg added sugars per serving, starting January 1, 2028. The Maryland Department of Health must create these icons and guidelines by January 1, 2027, and run a public education campaign during 2027 to explain compliance. The bill directly affects large chain restaurants by mandating clear labeling of high-sodium and high-sugar menu items. It defines "high sodium" as 1,150mg per serving and "high added sugars" as 25mg per serving for labeling purposes.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

passed · Maryland · Senate Apr 13, 2026

SB 936: Vehicle Laws - Bus Obstruction Monitoring Systems and Bus Stop Zones

SB 936 updates Maryland's vehicle laws to prohibit drivers from parking, stopping, or standing in a bus stop zone when a transit bus is present. This directly affects drivers who park in designated bus stop areas during bus stops. The bill adds a new rule (Section 21-1003(GG)) allowing exceptions only for authorized personnel or drivers actively loading/unloading passengers with hazard lights on. It also revises related provisions about bus obstruction monitoring systems and their use in enforcement, replacing outdated references to "bus lane" with "bus obstruction." The law aims to improve bus stop efficiency by reducing obstructions.

Topics ✓ Transportation

passed both · Maryland · Senate Apr 13, 2026

SB 626: Sex Designation on Certificates of Birth, Licenses, and Identification Cards and Birth Information Histories (Birth Certificate Modernization Act)

SB 626 (Birth Certificate Modernization Act) updates Maryland law to simplify changing sex designation on birth certificates and identification documents. It removes the prior requirement for medical documentation (such as surgery or hormone treatment) to update a birth certificate, instead allowing a written request under penalty of perjury. The bill also expands options for sex designation on driver's licenses, ID cards, and moped permits beyond male/female. It specifically includes intersex conditions as a valid basis for changing sex designation on records, while maintaining court orders as an alternative path. This directly affects individuals seeking to update their sex designation on official state-issued documents.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HB 1297: Income Tax - Student Loan Debt Relief Tax Credit - Alterations

HB 1297 modifies Maryland's student loan debt relief tax credit by changing how unused credit amounts are recaptured. It requires taxpayers to repay only the unused portion of the credit (not the full amount) if they don't use it for student loan repayment within 3 years. The bill also authorizes the Maryland Higher Education Commission to grant extensions of this 3-year period for taxpayers unable to repay due to specific federal delays, such as litigation over the SAVE repayment plan, Department of Education understaffing, or waiting for public service loan forgiveness. This directly affects Maryland residents with qualifying student loan debt who claim the tax credit.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HB 1069: Election Law - Absentee Ballots - State and Federal Requirements

HB 1069 requires Maryland's State Administrator of Elections to create a uniform process for counting absentee ballots with federal contests if a federal court order overrides state rules about ballot deadlines. It ensures that non-federal contests on valid absentee ballots (postmarked by election day) are still counted under state law. The bill also mandates clear voter notices about federal vs. state ballot deadlines, urging early mailing or drop-off, using methods like social media and sample ballots. This applies only to federal elections in 2026 and 2028.

passed · Maryland · Senate Apr 13, 2026

SB 782: Telecommunications Infrastructure - Protections

SB 782 requires junk dealers, scrap metal processors, and antique dealers in Maryland to register with local law enforcement when purchasing telecommunications equipment, providing details like the seller’s name, address, and purchase date. It prohibits these businesses from buying such equipment except by mailing checks to the seller’s address and bans selling or disposing of the equipment for 30 days after purchase. The bill also defines telecommunications infrastructure broadly (including cell towers, fiber cables, and antennas) and prohibits reckless or malicious damage to it, with violations punishable as felonies. Penalties for noncompliance include license revocation, fines up to $2,000, or felony charges with up to 6 months in jail and $5,000 fines.

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HB 1057: Education - Artificial Intelligence - Guidelines, Professional Development, and Collaborative (Artificial Intelligence Ready Schools Act)

This bill requires Maryland's State Department of Education to create online resources for schools, teachers, and students on the safe, ethical, and equitable use of artificial intelligence in education. It mandates that school districts develop AI policies by December 2027, appoint AI coordinators, and use only AI tools certified by Morgan State University as meeting state guidelines. The law also requires statewide teacher training on AI literacy by July 2027 and includes AI education in workforce preparation standards. These requirements directly affect public K-12 schools, educators, students, and administrators across Maryland.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Technology

passed both · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HB 1614: Maryland Transportation Authority - Lane Use Control Signal Monitoring Systems

HB 1614 authorizes the Maryland Transportation Authority Police to use lane direction control signal monitoring systems on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to enforce violations of red lane direction signals. It requires District Courts to remit civil penalties collected from these violations directly to the Maryland Transportation Authority instead of the state. The bill amends existing traffic law sections to clarify that penalties from these automated enforcement systems must be paid to the Authority and that recorded images from the systems are admissible as evidence without authentication. This affects drivers using the Chesapeake Bay Bridge who enter lanes with red signals, enabling automated enforcement of lane direction rules.

Topics ✓ Transportation

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HB 768: Department of Human Services - Benefits for Children in Custody - Alterations

HB 768 modifies Maryland law to clarify how the Department of Human Services (DHS) manages benefits (like Social Security or VA payments) for children in its custody. It requires DHS to seek other suitable representatives to manage these benefits before acting as the payee, and mandates that at least 40% of benefits be used for children’s unmet needs (such as disability services, housing, or education) when they are ages 14-15, increasing to 80% at 16-17 and 100% at 18-20. The bill also requires DHS to document all efforts to find alternative payees, periodically review if another representative could better serve the child, and avoid using benefits to cover state care costs. These changes apply specifically to children committed to DHS custody under Maryland’s Family Law.

Topics ✓ Housing

passed · Maryland · Senate Apr 13, 2026

SB 841: Utility RELIEF (Reducing Energy Load Inflation for Everyday Families) Act

SB 841 changes how Maryland uses fees paid by utilities to fund renewable energy projects. Instead of direct grants, it requires the Maryland Energy Administration to run annual competitive auctions where developers bid to build renewable energy projects. The bill sets specific targets for project capacity, deadlines for completion, and eligibility rules for bidders, including prioritizing projects benefiting low-income or overburdened communities. It redirects existing compliance fees - previously used for solar grants - into this auction system to accelerate renewable energy development.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HB 1223: Prince George's County Workgroup on Farmers Markets and Street Vending Zones PG 411-26

HB 1223 authorizes counties to designate areas adjacent to farmers markets as street food vending zones. Vendors selling prepared food (not raw agricultural products) in these zones must reside within the area defined by the farmers market's rules, comply with food safety laws, and meet the market's membership requirements. This directly affects local street food vendors operating near farmers markets in Prince George's County and other counties adopting this framework. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HB 1426: Clinical Research Pharmacies and Clinical Trials - Permits and Ownership

HB 1426 creates a new permit for clinical research pharmacies in Maryland, which are facilities specifically designed to conduct clinical trials. It allows healthcare providers to own these pharmacies under strict conditions, including requiring a licensed pharmacist to be on-site during all operating hours and prohibiting owners from receiving payment for patient referrals. The bill also exempts clinical trials conducted by corporations or entities from being classified as "practice of medicine," meaning trial staff no longer need individual medical licenses for their trial-related work. This change aims to streamline clinical research by removing a regulatory barrier that previously required individual licensing for trial staff.

Topics ✓ Healthcare