Maryland Bills

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 12, 2026

HB 730: Business Regulation - Maryland Franchise Registration and Disclosure Law - Alterations (Franchise Reform Act)

HB 730 (Franchise Reform Act) updates Maryland's franchise law to better protect franchisees and streamline regulation. It extends the time the Securities Commissioner can act on violations from 1 to 3 years, requires franchise registration exemptions to adjust for inflation using the Consumer Price Index, and creates a "Fast-Track Review Pilot Program" for renewal applications. The bill also prohibits franchisors from blocking franchisees from forming associations and clarifies when franchisees can sue for violations. These changes directly affect franchisors, franchisees, and the Securities Commissioner’s office, aiming to improve transparency and fairness in franchise sales.

signed · Maryland · Senate May 12, 2026

SB 465: Criminal Procedure - Admission of Out-of-Court Statements - Assault in the Second Degree

SB 465 modifies Maryland's evidence rules to allow certain out-of-court statements in second-degree assault cases when the defendant caused the witness's unavailability through wrongdoing. It permits statements made under oath, in writing with the declarant's signature, or recorded verbatim to be admitted if the court finds by a preponderance of evidence that the defendant engaged in wrongdoing to make the witness unavailable. Before admitting such a statement, the court must hold a separate hearing outside the jury's presence to verify the defendant's wrongdoing. This bill directly affects defendants charged with second-degree assault and prosecutors seeking to use specific witness statements in trial.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 12, 2026

HB 721: Uniformed Services Spouses Act

HB 721, the Uniformed Services Spouses Act, extends existing Maryland benefits for military service members and veterans to include their spouses. It adds "eligible spouse" as a defined term to priority registration at public colleges (within 15 years of service member’s last active duty, max four academic years), community college resource centers with tailored support, and senatorial/Delegate scholarships for spouses of active service members. The bill also modifies hiring preferences for state public service roles to include spouses of veterans. These changes directly affect spouses of active-duty service members and veterans living in Maryland who seek education, career support, or scholarships. The law updates multiple sections of Maryland’s education and employment codes to include spouses in eligibility criteria previously limited to service members themselves.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Veterans

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 12, 2026

HB 717: Baltimore City - Raffles - Organizations Affiliated With Professional Baseball and Football Teams

HB 717 allows organizations affiliated with Baltimore's NFL (e.g., Ravens) and MLB (e.g., Orioles) teams to conduct raffles under specific rules. It removes a 2025 deadline that previously restricted raffles by MLB-affiliated groups and updates existing law to include NFL teams. To qualify, organizations must be based in Baltimore, spend most funds locally on approved purposes (like civic or charitable causes), and obtain city permits. The bill modifies Maryland’s raffle regulations (Sections 13-501, 13-503, and 13-505.1) to expand eligibility for these sports-affiliated groups.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 12, 2026

HB 718: Information Technology – State and Higher Education E–Mail – Requirements

HB 718 requires public institutions of higher education in Maryland (excluding Morgan State University, the University System of Maryland, St. Mary’s College, and Baltimore City Community College) to adopt email security policies aligned with state government standards. It mandates that all employee email systems automatically filter spam and non-state-business emails (like unsolicited marketing) while permitting minimal personal use that doesn’t impact resources or violate professional norms. The bill extends existing state IT requirements to these institutions, ensuring email systems support official work only and include specific security measures. This directly affects higher education employees and administrators responsible for managing institutional email systems.

Topics ✓ Technology

signed · Maryland · Senate May 12, 2026

SB 472: Baltimore County Code of Public Local Laws - 2025 Edition - Legalization

SB 472 formalizes the 2025 Edition of the Baltimore County Code of Public Local Laws and its supplements as legally valid. It ensures the code is recognized as official evidence of state-enacted laws in all Maryland courts and by public officials, effective July 1, 2026. This procedural bill does not create new policies or affect residents directly - it simply validates existing local laws already passed by the Maryland General Assembly. The bill applies solely to Baltimore County's local laws code, not to new legislation.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 12, 2026

HB 681: Baltimore City - Ordinance Enforcement - Fines and Penalties

HB 681 increases Baltimore City's maximum civil and criminal fine for ordinance violations from $1,000 to $5,000. This directly affects residents and businesses in Baltimore City who may face penalties for breaking local ordinances, rules, or regulations. The bill amends the city charter to raise the cap on fines while maintaining a maximum 12-month jail term for violations. It does not change the types of ordinances covered but allows the city to impose higher penalties for enforcement. The change takes effect October 1, 2026.

signed · Maryland · Senate May 12, 2026

SB 482: Criminal Law - Interference With Critical Infrastructure or a Public Safety Answering Point

SB 482 makes it a crime to intentionally access or interfere with computer systems supporting critical infrastructure (like emergency services, utilities, or public safety answering points) with the intent to disrupt operations. It prohibits unauthorized access, ransomware attacks, or sharing access codes to such systems, specifically targeting acts meant to impair public safety services. The law applies to individuals who disrupt or deny access to systems vital for public security, health, transportation, or utilities. It amends Maryland’s criminal code to clarify penalties for these specific cyber-related interferences.

Topics ✓ Technology

signed · Maryland · Senate May 12, 2026

SB 221: Criminal Law - Child Pornography - Prohibitions and Penalties

SB 221 amends Maryland's criminal code to strengthen penalties for possessing or viewing child pornography. It specifically defines "indistinguishable from an actual child" (including realistic computer-generated images) and creates two key thresholds: possessing 100+ images of minors in sexual situations or under-13 images triggers felony charges, increasing potential sentences to 10 years. The law directly affects individuals who possess, view, or distribute such images, including both actual child content and realistic digital depictions. Penalties escalate for repeat offenses or cases involving children under 13, with sentences potentially exceeding 10 years for the most severe violations.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

signed · Maryland · Senate May 12, 2026

SB 290: Baltimore City - Ordinance Enforcement - Fines and Penalties

SB 290 increases Baltimore City's maximum allowable fine for ordinance violations from $1,000 to $5,000 per offense. It directly affects residents and businesses that violate city ordinances, rules, or regulations by raising the financial penalty ceiling. The bill amends Section 48 of Baltimore City's Charter, which governs the city's authority to set fines and penalties. The change takes effect October 1, 2026, without altering the maximum 12-month imprisonment term for criminal violations.

signed · Maryland · Senate May 12, 2026

SB 243: Uniformed Services Spouses Act

SB 243 expands existing Maryland benefits for military service members to include their spouses. It provides spouses of active-duty service members and veterans with priority enrollment at public colleges, access to community college resources (including dedicated advisors and veteran resource centers), and eligibility for senatorial and delegate scholarships. The bill also extends hiring preferences for spouses in state government roles through the Public Service Commission. These benefits apply within 15 years of the service member’s last active duty and end after the spouse’s fourth academic year. The law amends specific sections of Maryland’s education, labor, and state personnel codes to include "spouse of an eligible service member" as a qualifying status.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Veterans

signed · Maryland · Senate May 12, 2026

SB 415: Business Regulation - Maryland Franchise Registration and Disclosure Law - Alterations (Franchise Reform Act)

SB 415, the "Franchise Reform Act," updates Maryland’s franchise law to better protect franchisees and streamline regulation. It requires franchise registration exemptions to adjust for inflation or deflation using a specific index, shortens the time frame for franchise-related lawsuits to be filed, and prohibits franchisors from blocking franchisees from forming associations. The bill also creates a "Fast-Track Review Pilot Program" to expedite renewal applications for franchise disclosure documents. These changes directly affect franchisors (who sell franchises) and franchisees (who buy them), aiming to improve transparency and reduce barriers in franchise transactions.

Bill results