Home › Maryland › Bills

Bills

Maryland Bills

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

State Legislature US Congress

All 26,430 Active 12,512 In committee 12,512 Passed 3,332 Signed 7,901 Failed 2,336

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 10, 2026

HB 1053: Criminal Law - Second Degree Assault - Sports Official

HB 1053 makes it a misdemeanor to intentionally cause physical injury to a sports official (such as an umpire, referee, or judge) during a sporting event when the attacker knows the person's role. The bill amends Maryland’s assault law to specifically include these officials under second-degree assault protections, with penalties of up to 10 years in prison or a $2,500 fine. It also expands warrantless arrest authority for police to immediately detain individuals who commit this specific assault, as it now qualifies under the list of crimes allowing such arrests. This directly affects athletes, coaches, or spectators who assault officials at sports events.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SB 664: Child Care Scholarship Program - Priority for Child Care Providers

SB 664 modifies Maryland's Child Care Scholarship Program to prioritize children of licensed child care providers for scholarships. Starting July 1, 2026, the State Department of Education must establish a framework giving priority to children enrolled in licensed child care centers, registered family homes, or registered large family homes. This change affects child care providers directly by ensuring their own children receive priority access to scholarships under the program. The bill amends existing law to require this new prioritization process while maintaining compliance with federal requirements.

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SB 500: Washington County - Property Tax Credit for Disabled Veterans - Eligibility

SB 500 expands Washington County's property tax credit program for disabled veterans to include members of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Public Health Service (PHS) who meet the existing eligibility criteria. The bill amends the county code to define "disabled veteran" to cover these federal service members, who must still have an honorable discharge, a service-connected disability certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and own their primary residence. The credit amount remains tied to the veteran's disability rating percentage, applied against county property taxes. This change directly affects qualifying NOAA and PHS members in Washington County who previously did not qualify under the county's existing definition.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Veterans

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SB 499: Washington County - Notice of Tax Sale - Alterations

SB 499 modifies Washington County's requirements for notifying property owners about tax sales. It changes the newspaper notice requirement from four weekly publications to two notices in alternate weeks and mandates posting sale details on the county website four weeks before the sale. The bill also requires Washington County to send one additional notice copy to property owners within 15 days of the initial notice. These changes directly affect property owners in Washington County with unpaid taxes and the county collector responsible for tax sales. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SB 733: Land Use - Definitions and Boards of Appeals

SB 733 updates Maryland’s land use definitions and rules for local boards of appeals. It redefines "Board of Appeals" as an independent, quasi-judicial body that reviews land use decisions, clarifies terms like "development rights," and adds new sections (4-302.1, 4-304, 4-305) while repealing outdated ones. The bill alters how board members are appointed and removed and changes procedures for appeals hearings. These changes directly affect local governments, property owners, and developers navigating zoning disputes across Maryland.

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SB 799: Water Companies and Sewage Disposal Companies - Eminent Domain Proceedings and Service Rates

SB 799 prevents the Public Service Commission from approving rate increases for water or sewage disposal companies if a county or municipality has started or plans to start an eminent domain proceeding against them. It also requires fact finders in such eminent domain cases to consider two specific factors: necessary system upgrades for safe service and potential bill reductions for customers if the company is acquired by a local government. The bill amends Maryland's public utilities and real property laws to implement these changes, taking effect October 1, 2026. This directly affects water/sewage companies and local governments pursuing asset acquisition through eminent domain.

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SB 567: Elections - In-Person Voting - Proof of Identity

This Maryland bill updates election laws to require voters to present specific proof of identity at polling places before receiving a regular ballot. To qualify, a voter must show a valid government-issued photo ID or, if that is unavailable, a non-government photo ID along with a current document like a utility bill or bank statement that lists their name and address. If a voter cannot provide the required identification, the election judge will instead issue a provisional ballot for later verification. The legislation also reinforces existing rules that prohibit anyone from suggesting how a voter should mark their ballot and restricts who can assist voters with disabilities or language barriers.

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SB 863: Prince George's County Special Education Service Delivery, Transparency, and Accountability Act

SB 863 requires Prince George's County Public Schools to fund one-to-one student aides with full-time salaries and benefits starting in the 2027-2028 school year, directly affecting students with individualized education programs (IEPs) who need these aides. The bill mandates quarterly reports on special education metrics - including student counts, unfulfilled aide positions, and compensatory services - submitted to the county board and state education department for at least 24 months. It also requires the county superintendent to provide annual professional development training for special education staff and directs the state to hire an auditor to review special education services from 2021-2025. These provisions aim to improve transparency and accountability in delivering special education services within Prince George's County.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SB 755: Natural Resources - Striped Bass Recreational Seasons and Fisheries Regulations

SB 755 prohibits the Maryland Department of Natural Resources from establishing a recreational catch-and-release season for striped bass (rockfish). Instead, it mandates annual recreational and charter boat summer/fall seasons (May 16-December 10) with daily limits (1 fish for recreational anglers, 2 for charters) and specific gear rules, plus a trophy season requiring fish to be at least 28 inches long during designated April/May periods. The bill also requires the Department to prepare an economic impact statement for major fisheries regulations before publication. This directly affects recreational anglers, charter boat operators, and commercial fishing stakeholders who rely on striped bass regulations.

Topics ✗ Environment

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SB 918: Wicomico County - Sunday Hunting Time Restrictions - Repeal

SB 918 would repeal the existing time restriction that limited Sunday hunting of game birds and mammals in Wicomico County to 30 minutes before sunrise until 10:30 a.m. This change would directly affect hunters on private property and public land designated for Sunday hunting in Wicomico County, allowing them to hunt beyond 10:30 a.m. on Sundays. The bill specifically targets Section 10-410(a) of Maryland's Natural Resources Code, removing Wicomico County's specific time limitation while leaving hunting rules for other counties unchanged. The policy change removes a defined daily cutoff time for Sunday hunting in this county.

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SB 938: Community Development - Affordable Multifamily Rental Housing Stabilization Program - Establishment

SB 938 establishes Maryland's Affordable Multifamily Rental Housing Stabilization Program to provide emergency capital repair funding for private, affordable multifamily rental properties with 15+ units serving low-income households. The program requires property owners to prove they lack sufficient operating or reserve funds to cover urgent repairs, and offers low- or no-interest loans or grants up to $1 million per property annually. The Governor may allocate $5 million yearly for the program during fiscal years 2028-2031, with priority given to repairs that reduce operating costs. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SB 781: Environmental Permits - Requirements for Burden Analysis, Issuance and Renewal, and Public Participation (Cumulative Harms for Environmental Restoration for Improving Shared Health - CHERISH Our Communities Act)

SB 781 (CHERISH Our Communities Act) requires applicants for certain environmental permits (like air quality or wastewater permits) at facilities in "at-risk census tracts" to submit a report detailing existing environmental and public health burdens in those areas. The Maryland Department of the Environment must deny permit applications if approval would worsen adverse environmental or health stressors in those high-burden communities, as defined by specific metrics like pollution proximity scores or health indicator thresholds. The bill mandates new public participation requirements during permit reviews for facilities in these areas and specifies that denial decisions must be documented for judicial review. It directly affects businesses seeking permits for facilities in designated at-risk neighborhoods, aiming to prevent additional environmental harm in communities already facing disproportionate pollution.

Topics ✓ Environment