Maryland Bills

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 371: Water Pollution Control - Discharge Permits - Animal Feeding Operations

This bill removes a requirement that livestock operations must obtain a water pollution permit from Maryland's Department of the Environment before beginning construction on new facilities. It directly affects new concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) in Maryland by eliminating the pre-construction permit step. The change means CAFO operators can start building without first securing a permit, though permits remain required for operating the facilities after construction is complete. The bill does not alter existing permit requirements for operational discharges.

Topics ✗ Environment

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 28, 2026

HB 590: Howard County - Transfer Tax - Use of Proceeds Ho. Co. 12-26

HB 590 renames Howard County's Agricultural Land Preservation Fund to the Agricultural Preservation and Innovation Fund and specifies how property transfer tax revenues are distributed. The bill directs 25% of transfer tax proceeds to school construction, 25% to park and watershed projects, and the remaining 50% to be split: 50% (of the remainder) for agricultural programs (including innovation to support farming sustainability), 25% for low-income housing and community improvement, and 25% for fire services. It also requires that any revenue from an increased transfer tax rate be distributed equally among school capital projects, recreation and parks capital projects, low-income housing, and fire services. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education ✓ Housing

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 417: Labor and Employment - Mandatory Meetings on Religious or Political Matters - Employee Attendance and Participation (Maryland Worker Freedom Act)

SB 417 (Maryland Worker Freedom Act) prohibits most private employers from firing, disciplining, or refusing to hire employees who decline to attend or participate in employer-sponsored meetings about religious or political matters. The bill requires employers to notify workers about these protections and allows employees to file complaints with the Maryland Commissioner of Labor and Industry within 180 days of a violation. If violations are found, the Commissioner may impose civil penalties up to $10,000 for first offenses or $25,000 for repeat violations, and issue cease-and-desist orders. Exemptions include religious organizations, political groups, schools, government entities, and mandatory compliance training.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 403: Sales and Use Tax - Elementary or Secondary School Book Fairs - Exemption

SB 403 exempts sales tax on in-person book fairs held at Maryland elementary and secondary schools. It applies to sales by schools, parent-teacher organizations (PTOs), or other nonprofit groups operating these events on school premises. The exemption covers sales where students, staff, or PTO members act as agents for vendors, with all net proceeds used solely for the school's educational benefit. This bill adds a new tax exemption provision (Section 11-204(b)(9)) to Maryland’s tax code, effective July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 412: Maryland Department of Health - Forensic Review Boards and Community Forensic Aftercare Program

SB 412 establishes Maryland’s Community Forensic Aftercare Program within the Maryland Department of Health. The program monitors two groups: individuals committed to the health department due to being "not criminally responsible" (often called "not guilty by reason of insanity" cases), and people with mental illness or intellectual disability requiring community monitoring under specific legal circumstances. Key mechanisms include creating a community monitoring board to decide on conditional release and out-of-state travel, and requiring licensed social workers ("Program Monitors") to track compliance with court orders and make health recommendations. The bill amends Maryland’s Criminal Procedure and Health codes to implement this program, focusing on safety and structured oversight for these individuals.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Healthcare

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 28, 2026

HB 578: Fish and Wildlife - Endangered and Threatened Species and Migratory Birds - Regulations, Lists, Petitions, Essential Habitats, and Takings

HB 578 requires Maryland's Secretary of Natural Resources to review and update regulations for endangered and threatened species by July 1, 2033, and every 10 years thereafter. It clarifies definitions like "foreseeable future" for species assessments and expands "harm" to include significant habitat degradation that affects breeding or feeding. The bill mandates delisting species under specific conditions and specifies required details for petitions to remove species from protected lists. These changes directly affect wildlife managers, landowners, and conservation efforts by strengthening habitat protections and streamlining species listing processes under Maryland law.

Topics ✓ Environment

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 411: Hospitals - Clinical Staffing Committees and Plans - Establishment (Safe Staffing Act of 2026)

SB 411 requires non-state hospitals in Maryland to establish clinical staffing committees with equal representation from management and frontline staff, including nurses, technicians, and other caregivers. These committees must develop evidence-based staffing plans considering patient acuity, staffing gaps, and daily patient needs, which hospitals must implement starting January 1, 2028. Hospitals must annually review these plans, publicly post staffing data on units, and submit annual reports to the Maryland Health Care Commission beginning in 2030. The bill directly affects hospital operations, staffing decisions, and transparency for frontline workers and patients.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 326: Physician Assistants and Midwives - Parity With Other Health Care Practitioners (Physician Assistant Parity Act of 2026)

SB 326 expands the authority of physician assistants (PAs) in Maryland by allowing them to perform specific healthcare actions currently restricted to physicians. The bill directly affects PAs, patients requiring guardianship, inmates needing infirmary care, and mental health facilities by adding PAs to certification requirements for treatment incapacity (Section 5-606), guardianship petitions (Section 13-705), and inmate infirmary admissions (Section 9-601.1). It also requires the Maryland Department of Health to cover PA examinations for emergency evaluations and adds PAs to the Statewide Advisory Commission on Immunization. These changes aim to align PA practice with other licensed healthcare professionals in defined clinical scenarios.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 28, 2026

HB 377: Physician Assistants and Midwives - Parity With Other Health Care Practitioners

HB 377 expands the scope of practice for physician assistants (PAs) in Maryland by adding them to specific healthcare roles that previously required physicians or other practitioners. The bill allows PAs to certify incapacity for treatment decisions, participate in guardianship petitions for disabled persons, and order infirmary care for pregnant inmates - previously limited to physicians or nurse practitioners. It also requires the Maryland Department of Health to cover PA examinations for emergency evaluees and adds PAs to the Statewide Advisory Commission on Immunization. These changes aim to create parity by treating PAs as equivalent to other licensed healthcare providers in key clinical and administrative processes.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 130: Environment - Water - Individual Submeters

SB 130 requires landlords in multi-unit apartment buildings (with more than two dwelling units) to install individual water meters for each unit instead of using bulk billing. It prohibits landlords from charging tenants for leaks, poor maintenance, or common areas, and mandates that meters include leak detection monitors that tenants can inspect. Landlords must maintain clear records of water costs and usage for tenant review, and unpaid water bills cannot be used as grounds for eviction. The law, effective October 1, 2026, also allows a $1 monthly administrative fee to cover billing costs.

Topics ✓ Environment ✓ Housing

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 28, 2026

HB 308: Corporations and Associations - Principal Offices - Private Mailboxes

HB 308 allows Maryland corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, and limited liability partnerships to legally use an address provided by a commercial mail receiving agency (like a virtual office service) as their official "principal office" address, instead of a physical location. The bill requires these mail agencies to share the business's contact information (via USPS Form 1583) with the state Department of Assessments or law enforcement upon request. It amends Maryland’s Corporations and Associations code to clarify this option and the disclosure requirement. This change simplifies registration for businesses using third-party mail services while ensuring authorities can access necessary contact details.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 28, 2026

HB 220: Environment - Water - Individual Submeters

HB 220 requires apartment buildings with multiple units to install individual water meters for each dwelling unit, replacing bulk meters. It prohibits landlords from charging tenants for leaks they caused, common-area usage, or maintenance costs, and mandates that charges reflect actual water use. Tenants gain the right to inspect leak detection monitors and review billing records, while unpaid water bills cannot be used to evict tenants for nonpayment. The bill also establishes a complaint process for tenants to address billing disputes with local housing authorities or consumer protection offices.

Topics ✓ Environment ✓ Housing

Bill results