Maryland Bills

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 11, 2026

HB 978: General Assembly - Home Security System Expenses - Campaign Funds and Reimbursement

HB 978 allows members of Maryland's General Assembly to be reimbursed for home security system expenses at their primary residence using campaign funds or direct state reimbursement. It permits campaign finance entities to reimburse members for acquisition, installation, maintenance, or upgrades of such systems, with a $1,000 maximum per term and no more than one reimbursement per election cycle. Members must submit proof of completed work and expenses, and disbursements cannot count as campaign expenditures. The bill also creates a separate reimbursement path through the General Assembly for personal funds spent on these security systems. This directly affects all Maryland state legislators seeking coverage for home security costs during their term of office.

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 11, 2026

HB 1010: Election Law - Certification of Election-Supporting Technology - Regulations, Review, and Evaluation

This bill requires Maryland's State Board of Elections to create rules for reviewing and approving election-related technology, such as electronic pollbooks and risk-limiting audit tools (but not voting systems). The Board must adopt these regulations by December 1, 2026, and annually review and evaluate such technology starting January 1, 2027. It establishes a formal certification process for election-supporting technology used in election administration. The law directly affects technology vendors seeking approval and local election offices using certified systems.

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 11, 2026

HB 764: Montgomery County Board of Education - Elected Members - Compensation MC 2-26

HB 764 changes how Montgomery County Board of Education elected members are paid. Instead of fixed annual salaries ($25,000 for members, $29,000 for the president), compensation will now be tied to the salary of a regular Maryland General Assembly member (excluding Senate President and House Speaker) at the start of their term. The board president will receive $10,000 more than that base amount. This change applies to terms beginning after October 1, 2026, and affects all 7 elected board members and the board president.

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SB 838: Public Health - Cottage Food Businesses and Home Bakeries

SB 838 updates Maryland's regulations for cottage food businesses and home bakeries. It changes the definition of "cottage food product" to include nonpotentially hazardous foods (replacing "nonhazardous") and creates a new "home bakery" category. Home bakeries with annual revenue under $50,000 are exempt from Maryland Department of Health licensing, while still requiring specific labeling and sales rules (like direct sales at markets or to stores). This bill directly affects small home-based bakers who sell baked goods like bread, cakes, and pastries without needing full food safety licensing.

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 11, 2026

HB 943: State Board of Education - Financial Literacy - Graduation Requirement

HB 943 requires Maryland public high schools to implement a financial literacy course as a graduation requirement for students graduating in 2030 or later. The course must be a standalone, at least one-semester class taught in grades 11 or 12, and aligns with state standards for personal financial literacy. Upon successful completion, students earn at least half a credit toward graduation, and counties may allow this requirement to fulfill remaining credit needs through existing courses in business, career education, or social studies. County school boards determine specific curriculum and materials, but must follow state standards for the course content.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SB 671: Procurement Contracts and Construction Contracts - Payments

SB 671 updates payment rules for construction and procurement contracts involving local governments in Maryland. It requires local owners (like counties, cities, school boards, or public authorities) to pay contractors within 30 days of occupancy or possession, or 7 days for contracts with specific payment dates, and mandates written notice with detailed reasons if payments are withheld. The bill also sets 2% monthly interest on unpaid amounts (non-waivable) and limits withheld payments to twice the disputed amount. This directly affects contractors and subcontractors working on projects for these local entities, ensuring clearer payment timelines and dispute resolution.

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SB 674: Transportation - Regional Transportation Authorities

SB 674 creates three new regional transportation authorities for the Baltimore, Capital, and Southern Maryland regions. It imposes new sales, hotel, and transfer tax surcharges to fund these authorities, directing 70% of the revenue from these surcharges to dedicated regional transportation funds. These funds are designated as nonlapsing (permanent) and require interest earnings to be added back to the funds. The bill also establishes specific allocation rules, such as sending 30% of Baltimore region surcharge revenue to local counties and municipalities based on their sales activity. The legislation amends Maryland tax and transportation codes to implement these changes.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Transportation

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SB 732: Cannabis - Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund - Distribution and Use of Funds for Baltimore City

SB 732 requires Maryland's Comptroller to direct funds from the Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund (funded by cannabis tax revenue and business fees) specifically to Baltimore City's Comptroller. The Baltimore City Comptroller must then establish a special fund to distribute these resources to community programs in areas disproportionately impacted by historical cannabis enforcement. Funds can support services like behavioral health care, job training, housing assistance, and after-school programs - but cannot fund law enforcement or replace existing city programs. The bill mandates these funds remain separate from general city revenue and are subject to audit, ensuring they directly benefit Baltimore communities most affected by past cannabis policies.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Housing

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 11, 2026

HB 1066: Municipal Elections - Qualified Electronic Transmission Systems - Authorization for Use

HB 1066 authorizes Maryland municipalities to conduct local elections using secure electronic voting systems that meet strict security standards. The bill defines a "qualified electronic transmission system" as one with end-to-end encryption, verifiability, biometric ID verification, and paper record backup. Municipalities may use these systems for elections but are prohibited from using voter data collected through them for any purpose beyond election administration or voter participation statistics. This bill directly affects local governments in Maryland planning to adopt electronic voting methods for municipal elections, effective July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Technology

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SB 696: Financial Institutions - Complaint Database and Analysis - Required

SB 696 requires Maryland's Office of Financial Regulation to create a public database on its website for consumer complaints against financial institutions involving unfair, abusive, or deceptive practices. The database must include consumer-written narratives (with personal details redacted), be searchable by key metrics, and updated regularly for public access. It also mandates quarterly published analyses of complaint trends and resolutions. This directly affects Maryland consumers who file complaints and financial institutions subject to public scrutiny, aiming to increase transparency about financial service issues. The bill does not change how complaints are handled but makes the data publicly available and analyzable.

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 11, 2026

HB 1027: Election Law - Telephone Voting System - Requirements

HB 1027 requires Maryland's State Board of Elections to establish a telephone voting system for absentee ballots, specifically for voters who certify having a print disability (a condition preventing reading standard printed materials). The bill mandates the State Board to select, certify, and acquire a system meeting strict security and accessibility standards - including ballot secrecy, accuracy, paper trail requirements, and toll-free access - after independent testing by a federally approved lab. Eligible voters must submit a form certifying their disability to be added to a list, and the State Board must send them detailed instructions, a toll-free number, and voting dates 75 days before absentee ballots are mailed. The bill also requires the State Board to implement a public education campaign about the system and report progress to legislative committees by December 1, 2028.

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 11, 2026

HB 964: Secure the Vote Act of 2026

HB 964, the Secure the Vote Act of 2026, repeals existing requirements for ballot drop boxes (including those at Baltimore City's centralized booking facility) and modifies election rules. It adds new requirements: voters must provide proof of U.S. citizenship to register (per Section 3-201.1), obtain photo ID for in-person voting (Section 2-111), and restricts absentee voting to those unable to vote in person due to specific circumstances. The bill also mandates signature verification for absentee ballots, establishes new audit procedures for voter registration lists, and prohibits non-citizens from registering to vote in municipal elections. These changes apply to all Maryland voters and election officials statewide.

Bill results