Maryland Bills

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 9, 2026

SB 132: Election Law - Affiliating With a Party and Voting - Unaffiliated Voters

SB 132 allows unaffiliated voters in Maryland to formally affiliate with a political party at an early voting center during a primary election. Previously, unaffiliated voters could only change their party affiliation through registration offices or mail before primaries. Under this bill, an unaffiliated voter requesting affiliation at an early voting center will receive a provisional ballot for their chosen party, after confirming residency. This directly affects unaffiliated voters participating in primary elections by providing a new, accessible option to change party affiliation on election day. The key mechanism updates existing voting procedures to permit this affiliation change during early voting, using provisional ballots to ensure eligibility for the primary election.

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 9, 2026

SB 26: Public Utilities - Off-Grid Electricity Providers - Exemption

SB 26 exempts qualifying off-grid electricity providers from most public utility regulations in Maryland, directly affecting small-scale generators (like remote homes or farms) that meet three criteria: they don’t connect to the state grid, cross state lines, or operate on public roads. The bill allows these providers to avoid standard utility rules but requires compliance with specific construction permit requirements (§§ 7-207 and 7-207.1) when building facilities. If a provider later connects to the grid, crosses state lines, or operates on public roads, they lose the exemption and must follow full utility regulations. The exemption applies only to providers starting operations on or after October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Energy

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 9, 2026

SB 236: Election Law - Certification of Election-Supporting Technology - Regulations, Review, and Evaluation

SB 236 requires Maryland's State Board of Elections to create regulations for reviewing, certifying, and removing certification of election-supporting technology - such as ranked-choice vote tabulation tools, risk-limiting audit software, and electronic pollbooks - by December 2026. The bill mandates that the State Board annually review and evaluate this technology starting January 1, 2027, to ensure it meets safety and accuracy standards. This directly affects technology vendors developing election tools and local election offices using these systems. The law does not cover voting machines themselves but focuses on supporting software and equipment used in election administration.

Topics ✓ Technology

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 9, 2026

SB 89: Election Law - Incarcerated Individuals - Voter Hotline and Voting Eligibility (Voting Rights for All Act)

SB 89, the "Voting Rights for All Act," would require Maryland's State Board of Elections to create a toll-free hotline for incarcerated individuals to access voting information, request election materials, and report voting rights issues. It would remove a previous rule that barred people convicted of a felony and serving a prison sentence from registering to vote, allowing them to become registered voters while incarcerated. The bill also repeals a law that made voting while incarcerated a felony offense. These changes would directly affect incarcerated individuals in Maryland convicted of felonies and are scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 9, 2026

HB 77: Consumer Protection - Sale and Resale of Event Tickets - Registration and Regulation

HB 77 requires ticket resellers selling 50+ tickets annually to register with Maryland’s Division of Consumer Protection, providing personal details including a Social Security number and maintaining a $10,000 financial guarantee. It prohibits resellers from charging excessive fees or selling tickets above a set price, mandates secondary marketplaces to verify reseller registration, and requires resellers to report purchase/resale prices every six months. The law also enforces refunds within 7 days for failed ticket deliveries and bans restrictions on transferring publicly sold tickets. Violations are treated as consumer protection breaches under Maryland law, subject to fines and enforcement. This directly affects individual resellers, secondary ticket platforms, and event promoters selling tickets.

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 9, 2026

HB 59: Real Property - Expedited Wrongful Detainer Proceedings - Property for Sale or Lease

HB 59 accelerates court proceedings for property owners (complainants) seeking to regain possession of real property they have listed for sale or lease. If property is advertised for sale/lease at the time of filing, the bill requires a court hearing within 5 business days (instead of 10), mandates personal service or conspicuous posting of notices on the property, and limits appeals to 2 business days after judgment. The court must issue a warrant for possession within hours if the owner wins, and tenants must post bond or pay rental value to delay eviction during appeals. This bill directly affects landlords trying to sell/lease property and tenants in possession, streamlining the process to expedite transfer of ownership.

Topics ✗ Housing

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 9, 2026

SB 265: Community Solar Energy Generating Systems - Prohibited Locations - Adjacent Parcels

SB 265 modifies Maryland's rules for siting community solar energy systems by removing a restriction that previously prohibited multiple systems on adjacent parcels if their combined capacity exceeded 5 megawatts. The bill replaces this with a new 10-megawatt limit for adjacent parcels, but only if at least 75% of the system's capacity serves low- or moderate-income subscribers (LMI) or projects use agrivoltaics (combining solar with agriculture). This change directly affects community solar developers, utilities, and LMI subscribers by expanding where solar projects can be located while prioritizing access for underserved communities. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment ✓ Housing

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 9, 2026

SB 341: Public Utilities – Solar Energy Generating Systems and Solar Renewable Energy Credits (Affordable Solar Act)

SB 341 establishes new definitions for small portable solar systems (max 1,200 watts, plug-in devices for residential use) and creates two types of solar energy credits: SRECs for smaller systems and SREC-II for larger installations. It requires electric companies to procure a specific number of SREC-II credits from qualifying solar projects and mandates that certain compliance fees be deposited into an escrow account instead of the Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Fund. Homeowners using portable solar systems cannot have utility approval requirements or fees for grid connection, but these systems do not count toward renewable energy goals. Municipal utilities and electric cooperatives gain flexibility in meeting solar requirements under the new framework.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 9, 2026

HB 337: School Construction and Housing - School Zones and Adequate Public Facilities Ordinances

HB 337 requires Maryland county school boards to annually submit detailed reports on school zones, student residency locations (without personal identifiers), and school capacity to state planning agencies starting July 1, 2026. It prohibits local "adequate public facilities ordinances" from delaying subdivision or site development plan approvals but allows them to delay final building permits. This directly affects county school boards, housing developers, and local planning departments by standardizing school zone data sharing and clarifying when school capacity rules can impact housing projects. The bill aims to streamline housing development while ensuring school capacity data informs planning.

Topics ✓ Housing

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 9, 2026

SB 92: Electric Company Contracts, Capacity Market Models, and Regional Transmission Organizations - Studies

SB 92 requires the Maryland Public Service Commission and Energy Administration to study two key energy policy options. First, it mandates a study on whether electric companies should be required to secure contracts for 80% of their electricity supply capacity over the next five years. Second, it directs a joint study with neighboring states on the costs and benefits of potentially withdrawing from PJM’s capacity market, including developing a multistate compact or creating a new regional transmission organization. The studies must be completed by December 31, 2026, and report findings to the Governor and legislature. This bill does not enact policy changes but sets the stage for future decisions about Maryland’s electricity market participation.

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 9, 2026

SB 373: Environment - Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative - Withdrawal (Restoring Energy Freedom Act)

SB 373 would require the Governor to withdraw Maryland from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a regional program limiting power plant emissions. The bill repeals and amends Maryland law that previously mandated state participation in RGGI and redirected funds from RGGI allowance sales to the Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Fund. It removes requirements for the state to report on emissions reductions plans if RGGI participation ends. This legislation directly affects Maryland's state government and energy policy by ending the state's involvement in the multi-state emissions trading program. The bill does not alter current emissions regulations but changes how funds from RGGI would be handled if Maryland withdraws.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes ✗ Energy ✗ Environment

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 9, 2026

HB 612: Correctional Education and Workforce Skills Training Programs - State Correctional Ombudsman and Certified Peer Recovery Specialist Training Program for Incarcerated Individuals

HB 612 creates a new Certified Peer Recovery Specialist Training Program within Maryland's Department of Labor for incarcerated individuals in state correctional facilities. The bill requires the Director of Correctional Education to consult with the State Correctional Ombudsman when operating education programs and mandates the Department of Labor to establish two new positions: one to support correctional education staff and another to assist certified peer recovery specialists. The program provides funding for training, compensation for participants, and prepares incarcerated individuals to work in behavioral health and community recovery services after release. This directly affects incarcerated individuals in Maryland's correctional system by offering structured career pathways through peer support training.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Labor & Employment

Bill results