Maryland Bills

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SB 682: Anne Arundel County - Community Sewerage Systems - Homeowners Association Control

SB 682 allows homeowners associations (HOAs) in Anne Arundel County to manage community sewer systems as "controlling authorities" if the systems were operational before January 1, 2026, and the HOA charges mandatory sewer fees while maintaining a capital reserve fund for future repairs. The bill requires approval from Anne Arundel County, the Maryland Environmental Service, and the HOA itself to transfer management responsibility. If an HOA fails to meet its obligations or correct operational issues, the Maryland Environmental Service must take over operations, with costs billed to the HOA or property owners. This applies specifically to shared sewer systems serving multiple properties in Anne Arundel County, directly affecting HOAs managing qualifying systems.

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SB 701: Wetlands and Waterways Permits - Lighthouse Piers - Permission of Owner of Private Wetlands

SB 701 modifies Maryland law to remove the requirement for pier builders to obtain permission from private wetlands owners under specific conditions. It directly affects owners of lighthouses or structures connected to lighthouses seeking to build piers that are entirely within private wetlands, connected only to the lighthouse, and not linked to the shore. The bill achieves this by adding Section 16-105.1 to the law, which prohibits requiring such permission for these designated piers. However, builders must still secure all necessary approvals from the Board and Department before construction begins. The change takes effect October 1, 2026.

Topics ✗ Environment

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

HB 928: Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity - Transmission Lines - Applicability and Waivers

HB 928 modifies Maryland's requirements for constructing transmission lines over 69,000 volts. It expands the types of transmission lines needing a "certificate of public convenience and necessity" (replacing the previous focus on overhead lines), and requires the Public Service Commission to consider ratepayer costs and environmental impacts when deciding whether to waive this requirement for certain projects. The bill also removes a prior rule that automatically waived certificate requirements for specific overhead lines. This directly affects electric companies, transmission developers, and the Public Service Commission in their approval processes for new or upgraded power lines.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SB 628: Institutions of Postsecondary Education – Institutional Debt – Report

SB 628 requires Maryland colleges and universities to submit annual reports to the Maryland Higher Education Commission by October 1 each year, detailing institutional debt owed by students. The reports must include total student enrollment (broken down by demographics like race and residency), total debt amounts, collection status (e.g., good standing vs. past due), and specifics on debt types (tuition, fees), payment plans, and collection efforts. The Commission must then summarize these reports for the General Assembly by December 1 each year. This bill mandates transparency around student debt without changing debt collection rules, directly affecting all public and private postsecondary institutions in Maryland that collect student payments.

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

HB 950: Public Utilities - Street Lighting Equipment - Acquisitions and Reporting (County and Municipal Street Lighting Investment Act)

HB 950 allows Maryland counties and municipalities to acquire street lighting equipment currently owned by electric companies through purchase or condemnation. It authorizes local governments to convert to customer-owned street lighting tariffs, contract for electricity and maintenance separately, and resolve disputes with utilities through the Public Service Commission. The bill defines key terms like "street lighting equipment" (including all infrastructure for street lighting except joint-use poles) and establishes a method to calculate the equipment's value for purchase. This directly affects local governments seeking greater control over street lighting costs, maintenance, and efficiency upgrades.

Topics ✓ Transportation

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

HB 970: Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard - Nuclear Energy and Renaming

HB 970 renames Maryland's "Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard" to the "Clean Energy Portfolio Standard" and changes related terms like "renewable energy credits" to "clean energy credits." The bill explicitly adds electricity generated from certain nuclear power plants as an eligible Tier 2 source for meeting the standard, expanding the types of energy that can count toward compliance. This change directly affects utilities and energy providers required to meet the state's clean energy targets, applying retroactively to prior compliance periods. The bill focuses on updating terminology and eligibility criteria within existing energy policy frameworks.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

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

HB 1061: Criminal Law - Wearing, Carrying, or Transporting a Handgun - Prior Convictions

HB 1061 expands Maryland's enhanced sentencing for illegally carrying or transporting a handgun by including prior convictions from other states, federal courts, or tribal courts. It affects individuals who have previously been convicted of gun-related offenses outside Maryland. The bill amends sentencing tiers so that these out-of-state or federal convictions now count toward mandatory minimum sentences under Section 4-203 of the Criminal Law. This means people with prior gun convictions in other jurisdictions face harsher penalties for violating Maryland's handgun laws.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SB 686: PFAS Chemicals – Product Phase Outs and Registration Requirements

SB 686 prohibits manufacturers from selling, distributing, or offering for sale in Maryland certain products containing intentionally added PFAS chemicals (like cleaning products, cookware, cosmetics, feminine hygiene products, fabric treatments, and intimacy products) after specific dates. It requires registration for products containing PFAS that aren't banned and mandates testing to ensure compliance. The bill creates the Maryland PFAS Chemicals Protection and Remediation Fund, funded by penalties and interest earnings, to provide grants and loans for PFAS-related remediation projects. The law aims to reduce public exposure to these chemicals by phasing out their use in common consumer products while establishing a dedicated fund for cleanup efforts.

Topics ✓ Environment

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

HB 937: Workgroup to Study Youth Camp and RV Park Emergency Preparedness - Established

HB 937 establishes a workgroup to study emergency preparedness for youth camps and RV parks in Maryland. The workgroup, composed of state agency representatives, legislators, and industry stakeholders (including camp and park owners), will create a county-by-county inventory of these facilities, review emergency policies from other states, and make recommendations for potential new laws. It will report findings to the legislature by December 31, 2027. This bill does not create new regulations but initiates a study to inform future policy. The workgroup expires automatically on September 30, 2028.

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SB 655: Electronic Device Producer Responsibility Program - Established

SB 655 establishes Maryland's first statewide program requiring electronic device manufacturers to fund and manage recycling. It directly affects companies that produce covered devices like computers, TVs, printers, tablets, headphones, and routers (as defined in Section 9-1701(g)). Key provisions include mandatory registration fees paid into a dedicated recycling fund, requirements for manufacturers to include recycling information on products, and new rules for producer responsibility organizations to submit and get approval for recycling plans. The program aims to streamline collection, recycling, refurbishment, or reuse of these devices through the Department of the Environment, replacing older takeback programs.

Topics ✓ Environment

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SB 590: Study on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Economy-Wide Cap-and-Invest Program (Maryland Climate Crisis Equity Act)

SB 590 requires Maryland's Department of the Environment to study the design and implications of an economy-wide cap-and-invest program to help achieve the state's 2045 net-zero greenhouse gas emissions goal. The study, to be developed with agencies like the Climate Change Commission and Energy Administration, will evaluate key elements including which sectors (like electricity generation) to cover, how to protect low-income households through revenue use (e.g., rebates, weatherization), and how to address equity in overburdened communities. It will also assess program mechanics such as allowance distribution, auction design, and potential use of offset credits, building on Maryland's existing experience with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. The study aims to provide a foundation for future policy decisions on climate funding and emissions reductions.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SB 750: Local Government - Trap-Neuter-Return Policies for Community Cats - Requirements and Restrictions (Ash's Law)

SB 750 (Ash's Law) creates a legal exception to Maryland’s animal abandonment law for people caring for community cats under Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs. It defines "community cats" (free-roaming cats cared for by neighborhood residents) and "community cat caregivers" (those providing food/shelter under TNR), requiring local governments to adopt TNR policies that: - Prohibit registration requirements for caregivers, - Allow reclaiming impounded cats without proof of ownership, - Mandate returning eartipped cats (identified via ear notch) to their original location. The law preempts conflicting local rules and directly affects community cat caregivers, animal shelters, and local governments implementing TNR programs.

Bill results