HB 467 requires the Maryland Parole Commission to improve transparency and equity in parole decisions. It mandates annual reports broken down by race showing parole grants, denials (with reasons), administrative releases, hearing purposes, and parole-eligible individuals not granted parole. The bill also prohibits permanent parole denial, requires the Commission to document hearing reasoning publicly, and makes all hearing recordings publicly available after redaction for privacy, with specific retention rules. These changes directly affect incarcerated individuals in Maryland's correctional system by increasing accountability in parole proceedings.
HB 351 allows Maryland's Attorney General or State's Attorney to direct the Maryland State Police to collect and securely retain specific digital data (like license plates, cell tower records, GPS, or facial recognition data) about federal agents when a complaint alleges misconduct such as excessive force or civil rights violations. It directly affects complainants who file such misconduct claims and law enforcement agencies handling those cases. The bill requires that complainants can only access this digital data through a court order in a 42 U.S.C. § 1983 civil rights case or a related criminal proceeding. It does not authorize general surveillance but creates a targeted process for gathering evidence in verified misconduct complaints against federal agents. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.
HB 329 prohibits school resource officers (SROs) in Maryland from engaging in sexual activity, contact, or intercourse with students enrolled in schools where they are assigned. The bill amends Maryland's Criminal Law (Section 3-314) to explicitly add students at an SRO's assigned school as a protected group under this prohibition, with penalties including up to 3 years in jail or a $3,000 fine for violations. It defines "school resource officer" in Education Law (Section 7-1501) to clarify the scope of the restriction. The law applies directly to law enforcement officers serving in school settings and takes effect July 1, 2026.
HB 492 establishes minimum security staffing requirements for courtrooms across Maryland courthouses. It directly affects all county courthouses and the entities (like sheriff's offices) responsible for courthouse security. The bill requires specific numbers of security officers during proceedings: starting July 2027, one officer per courtroom for most cases (two for cases involving people in custody), plus additional officers per floor; these requirements become standard for all cases starting July 2029. Security officers must meet special peace officer qualifications. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.
HB 426 allows a party seeking guardianship of a person’s property (due to disability) to request a court to temporarily pause specific civil cases against that person. It requires the guardian applicant to notify all parties and the court, and limits the stay to 90 days or until guardianship is granted/denied. The bill directly affects people with disabilities whose property is under guardianship proceedings and creditors/landlords in pending cases like evictions, rent non-payment suits, or foreclosure. It mandates that legal notices for these paused cases must be served through the appointed guardian.
HB 491 prohibits law enforcement agencies from requesting verbal acknowledgments from victims of sexually assaultive behavior that could limit investigations, prevent prosecutions, or restrict victims' legal rights. It specifically bans forms or requests that: relieve the agency of obligations to the victim, define investigation scope, block prosecutions, or limit private legal actions. The bill requires agencies to thoroughly document any victim request to limit or suspend an investigation and follow up per Maryland Police Commission guidelines. Agencies must adopt and submit compliance policies to the Maryland Sexual Assault Evidence Kit Committee by January 15, 2021, with the law taking effect October 1, 2026.
HB 11 requires Anne Arundel County's Sheriff to appoint deputy sheriffs (referred to as "majors" in the bill title) at salaries determined solely by the Anne Arundel County Council, rather than the Sheriff. This bill amends Maryland law to explicitly state that the County Council sets the salary for these deputies, while clarifying that the Sheriff may appoint a chief deputy at their discretion. The change directly affects the Anne Arundel County Sheriff's Office by shifting salary authority from the Sheriff to the County Council for this specific rank of deputies. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.
SB 359 requires all individuals seeking positions involving direct contact with children in Maryland child care facilities to undergo a criminal history records check. It directs the State Department of Education to create a centralized unit to process and manage these checks, with timelines for status updates (10 days) and eligibility decisions (45 days). The bill also establishes strict confidentiality for background check information, prohibits unauthorized sharing, and amends probationary employment rules for first-time child care teachers. This applies directly to child care facilities, their employees, and applicants for such roles, effective October 1, 2026.
SB 114 establishes the Maryland 3-1-1 Oversight Board to manage a statewide expansion of nonemergency 3-1-1 services. The bill requires all Maryland counties to implement AI-powered chatbots (by June 2027) and voicebots (by December 2028) that provide multilingual support, route calls accurately, and escalate complex issues to live agents. These systems must align with accessibility and equity standards, using curated government data for responses. The bill directly affects all 23 Maryland counties, residents using 3-1-1 services, and state agencies managing the program, with full statewide implementation required by July 2028.
SB 314 creates legal protection for people who donate pet supplies (like food, toys, or grooming items) to nonprofits or government groups. It shields donors from civil lawsuits if they act in good faith - meaning they don’t cause harm through gross negligence or intentional misconduct. The bill also allows Maryland’s Agriculture Department to inspect donated commercial pet food and set rules for handling it safely. This directly affects pet supply donors, nonprofits receiving donations, and local governments distributing these items. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.
SB 388, the DECADE Act, reorganizes Maryland's economic development programs to streamline administration and adjust eligibility for tax incentives. It redesignates the Economic Development Opportunities Program Account as the Strategic Closing Fund within the Department of Commerce, alters how video lottery proceeds are distributed, and modifies rules for several tax credits - including Job Creation, Research and Development, and film production credits - to expand access for businesses and investors. Key changes include allowing pass-through entities to allocate biotechnology tax credits differently, enabling film producers to amend credit applications, and extending the Build Our Future Grant Pilot Program. The bill directly affects businesses seeking economic development tax credits and state agencies managing these programs.
HB 625 shifts responsibility for collecting fees from research facilities to the Maryland Department of Agriculture, replacing the current system under the Department of Health. It requires facilities submitting USDA Form 7023 (for animal testing) to pay annual contributions based on animal count: $5,000 for ≤100 animals, $10,000 for 101-500, $55,000 for 501-5,000, and $75,000 for over 5,000. Funds collected will support the Human-Relevant Research Fund established under Maryland’s Economic Development Article. The bill repeals existing health code provisions and creates new agriculture code sections for this fee structure, effective October 2026.
