HB 197 creates a new excise tax on firearms, accessories, and ammunition sales by dealers in Maryland. The tax applies to all retail sales within the state, with revenue distributed to five specific community safety programs: 26% to violence prevention, 26% to trauma care, 20% to community support, 20% to survivor services, and 8% to the University of Maryland Medical System. The bill directs funds to supplement existing programs rather than replace them. This tax targets firearms dealers as the direct taxpayers, with revenue funding state-level safety initiatives.
HB 178 establishes three specialized sickle cell disease clinics in Montgomery County, Harford County, and an Eastern Shore county, operating under a hub-and-spoke model to provide comprehensive care including pain management, mental health services, genetic counseling, and social support. It allocates $6.1 million for fiscal year 2028 to fund clinic operations, staff, training, and community partnerships, with priority for addressing social barriers like transportation and housing. The bill also creates a scholarship program for medical residents specializing in sickle cell disease hematology, requiring recipients to practice in Maryland after training. These provisions directly affect Maryland residents living with sickle cell disease, particularly in underserved communities, by expanding access to coordinated care and increasing specialist availability.
SB 316 requires all Maryland public higher education institutions and local school systems to appoint a Title VI Coordinator by July 1, 2026. These coordinators must ensure compliance with federal civil rights law (Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act), which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in federally funded programs. The bill specifies coordinators must investigate complaints, provide training, maintain records, and promote equal access for students and staff. It directly affects students, staff, and families who may file discrimination complaints through these designated coordinators in schools or colleges.
HB 341 establishes the Maryland Commission for Boys’ and Men’s Health within the Maryland Department of Health. The 18-member commission, appointed by the Governor, Senate President, and House Speaker, will review health data on conditions like heart disease and cancer, promote preventive care through public awareness, and develop strategies to reduce health disparities affecting boys and men. The commission must collaborate with community partners to address issues like suicide rates and limited access to screenings, while ensuring culturally responsive health approaches. It will operate without paid membership but can accept federal or private funding for its work. The bill creates a coordinating body to guide state efforts, not a new service or funding program.
HB 202 establishes Maryland's Social Isolation and Loneliness Pilot Grant Program within the Department of Health to fund community programs addressing social isolation. The program awards up to $20,000 per grant to eligible organizations serving vulnerable populations - including youth, seniors, and rural communities - to cover operating costs like staffing and venue fees for socioemotional support services. It requires a $100,000 FY2028 budget appropriation and mandates a program evaluation by December 2029, reporting on financial use and outcomes. The pilot runs from October 2026 through March 2030, focusing on reducing health impacts of isolation without funding research or capital projects.
SB 383 allows private career schools in Maryland to advertise programs and collect student contact information before receiving full approval from the Maryland Higher Education Commission. It directly affects private career schools - non-college institutions training students for specific jobs - and requires them to disclose in all ads that their operating approval is pending. Key provisions mandate schools to include this disclosure and share basic details like opening dates and programs in advertisements. The Secretary of Higher Education will establish the approval process for schools seeking this advertising permission. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.
HB 27 creates a Maryland Long COVID Research Fund administered by the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (MTDC) to provide grants and loans for Long COVID innovation. The program directly supports Maryland-based public and private entities conducting research, product development, and manufacturing related to Long COVID treatments, using the National Academy of Sciences' 2024 definition of Long COVID. Key mechanisms include establishing a nonlapsing fund (funded by state appropriations and interest earnings), requiring an independent scientific review committee to evaluate proposals, and mandating annual reports on funded projects and program effectiveness. The bill specifies that funds may only be used for research, development, and commercialization of Long COVID treatments, with strict oversight to ensure alignment with scientific and medical goals. It takes effect July 1, 2026.
SB 430, the Informed Enrollment Act, requires Maryland institutions of higher education admitting first-time undergraduates to prominently display a link to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard on their public websites by July 1, 2027. Each institution must also provide a clear explanation of the Scorecard’s data on costs, graduation rates, salary outcomes, and debt. Schools must share this information during student orientation, recruitment materials, and regularly with prospective students, new students, advisors, and career counselors via websites, social media, and career center pages. The bill is contingent on the federal College Scorecard remaining active; if discontinued, the law automatically ends without further legislative action. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, with compliance beginning July 1, 2027.
HB 710 amends Maryland's criminal law to clarify and strengthen prohibitions against displaying obscene material to minors. It defines "obscene" material as content that appeals to prurient interest, depicts illicit sexual acts in a patently offensive way, and lacks serious value, and specifies that "item" includes books, videos, magazines, and digital media. The bill directly restricts public schools, newsstands, and businesses frequented by minors from openly displaying such material on their premises, with school principals or managers held accountable. Violations are misdemeanors punishable by up to 1 year in jail or $1,000 for a first offense, increasing to 3 years or $5,000 for subsequent offenses. The law aims to protect minors by targeting specific displays of prohibited material in settings where they are present.
SB 479 adds specific exemptions to Maryland's building energy performance standards, allowing certain covered buildings to avoid compliance requirements. The bill exempts historic properties, public/private schools, hospitals, manufacturing facilities, and agricultural buildings from energy use intensity targets. It also includes exceptions for critical infrastructure, military buildings, and facilities with specialized needs like health care sterilization or emergency power. These exemptions apply until a specified future occurrence (not detailed in the bill text). The bill modifies existing law to clarify which building types are excluded from the state's energy efficiency mandates.
SB 478 expands eligibility for two financial aid programs at Washington County institutions of higher education. It amends Maryland law to include homeschool students and nonpublic secondary school students in Washington County as "dually enrolled students," directly affecting these students and their access to the Part-Time Grant Program and Early College Access Grant. The bill updates definitions in education codes to cover these groups, ensuring they qualify for tuition support and grants previously available only to public school students. County boards must still cover 75% of tuition costs for eligible students under existing agreements, with periodic review options for schools and colleges. The changes take effect July 1, 2026.
HB 965 establishes the Office of Health Care Quality Stakeholder Advisory Council to improve oversight of health care facilities in Maryland. The council, composed of 15 members including legislative appointees, frontline workers, facility residents, advocacy groups, and industry representatives, provides feedback to the Office of Health Care Quality and notifies the Secretary of Health if oversight is deemed negligent. Key mechanisms include biannual public meetings (with live streaming and public comment), annual data reporting on facility inspections and complaints, and a requirement for the council to compile feedback and recommendations into an annual report to the Governor and General Assembly starting in 2027. This bill directly affects the Office of Health Care Quality, health care facilities, and stakeholders by adding structured accountability to oversight processes.
