Maryland Bills

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HB 915: Workgroup on Aging Out of Foster Care

HB 915 establishes a workgroup focused on youth transitioning out of foster care in Maryland. The workgroup includes state agency representatives and 15 youth aged 18-25 who have aged out of foster care, along with advocates from relevant organizations. It must identify current resources for housing, education, health, and other needs; assess service effectiveness; and find successful programs by June 1, 2027. The workgroup's report will inform future policy, but the bill itself creates no new laws or funding.

Jamila Woods (D) Susan McComas (R) Deni Taveras (D) Teresa Woorman (D) Aaron Kaufman (D)

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HB 1311: Higher Education – Student Financial Assistance for Incarcerated Individuals – Alterations

HB 1311 requires Maryland's Department of Public Safety to help incarcerated individuals access federal Pell Grants and state student financial aid. It mandates that correctional facilities assist eligible incarcerated people in applying for these funds and explicitly states that financial aid established under Maryland law must be available to those meeting eligibility criteria. The bill affects incarcerated individuals in state correctional facilities, directing the Department to collaborate with the Maryland Higher Education Commission and specific higher education institutions to facilitate access. This change takes effect July 1, 2026, without creating new funding but altering access procedures.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Education

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HB 1020: State Police Retirement System - Mandatory Retirement Age - Alteration

HB 1020 raises the mandatory retirement age for Maryland State Police members from 60 to 62 years old. It modifies the Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP) to allow certain members, under specific limits, to extend their participation in the program. The bill directly affects current and future members of the State Police Retirement System who are nearing retirement age. Key changes include updating eligibility requirements for normal retirement and DROP participation based on the new age threshold.

passed both · Maryland · Senate Apr 13, 2026

SB 551: Health Insurance - Ovarian Cancer Prevention With Salpingectomy - Required Coverage and Prohibited Cost Sharing

This bill requires health insurers and health plans in Maryland to cover salpingectomy (surgery to remove fallopian tubes) specifically for ovarian cancer prevention as a standard benefit, with no out-of-pocket costs like copays or deductibles for patients. It applies to all health insurance policies issued in Maryland after January 1, 2027, directly affecting women who might choose this preventive surgery and the insurers providing coverage. The key provision bans cost-sharing for this procedure, except when an individual is enrolled in a high-deductible health plan meeting federal criteria. This ensures access to a proven preventive measure without financial barriers for most patients.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

passed both · Maryland · Senate Apr 13, 2026

SB 618: Public Ethics - Members of the General Assembly - State and Local Government Employment Exemption

SB 618 amends Maryland's ethics law to allow members of the General Assembly, candidates for the Assembly, and newly elected members (member-elects) to earn income from specific state or local government jobs under limited conditions. It creates four exemptions: educational instruction, merit-system positions, human services roles, and career progression from pre-existing government employment relationships. The Joint Ethics Committee must approve these exemptions, but the bill explicitly excludes law enforcement, fire/rescue jobs, and relationships established before candidacy. This change directly affects legislators and candidates seeking income from government employment while serving. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HB 797: Employment Discrimination - Fire and Rescue Public Safety Employees - Use of Medical Cannabis

HB 797 prohibits employers from discriminating against fire and rescue public safety employees who use medical cannabis, provided they have a valid written certification from a licensed healthcare provider under Maryland's medical cannabis program. The bill modifies existing law to clarify that an employer cannot take adverse employment actions (like termination or denial of promotion) solely due to medical cannabis use, as long as the employee meets the state's certification requirements. It updates definitions in Maryland law to ensure fire and rescue employees qualify for the same protections as other medical cannabis patients under the existing program. The law does not override workplace safety rules or require employers to accommodate cannabis use during work hours.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Maryland · Senate Apr 13, 2026

SB 965: Motor Vehicles - Out-of-State Drivers - Automated Enforcement (Out-of-State Driver Accountability Act)

SB 965 requires local governments operating automated traffic enforcement systems (like speed cameras or red-light cameras) to submit quarterly reports to Maryland’s Vision Zero coordinator about citations issued to vehicles registered in other states. The reports must include the out-of-state license plate number, whether the ticket was paid, and whether it remains overdue. Local governments must track these citations cumulatively over time, showing total issued, paid, and overdue tickets. This bill creates a data collection system for out-of-state traffic citations but does not change traffic enforcement rules or penalties.

Topics ✓ Transportation

passed both · Maryland · Senate Apr 13, 2026

SB 961: Income Tax Credit - Venison Donation - Alterations

SB 961 modifies Maryland's tax credit for hunters donating processed deer meat. It removes the previous $300 annual limit on the credit, allowing hunters to claim the full credit for eligible expenses without the cap. The bill maintains a $75 per deer processing expense limit and requires donations to go to IRS 501(c)(3) organizations. Hunters must still comply with hunting laws, and donation programs must report donor information to the Comptroller annually. The change takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HB 1602: Counties - No-Cost Preventive Cancer Screenings for Volunteer and Retired Volunteer Firefighters

This bill requires Maryland counties with volunteer fire companies to provide no-cost preventive cancer screenings to volunteer firefighters, as defined by the bill. Volunteer fire companies must maintain and annually submit a list of their volunteer firefighters to the county, which must then keep this list on file. Counties can meet this requirement by either offering a free annual health exam including cancer screenings or applying for a specific grant to fund advanced screening technologies like multi-cancer blood tests. The law applies to all counties with volunteer fire companies and takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

passed · Maryland · Senate Apr 13, 2026

SB 504: Data Privacy - Consumer Data, Public Records, and Message Switching System (Data Privacy Act)

SB 504 prohibits businesses from selling consumer personal data to buyers who intend to use it for immigration enforcement. It defines "sensitive data" to include immigration status, racial origin, health information, and sexual orientation, requiring businesses to handle such data more carefully. The bill also mandates public record custodians to prevent unauthorized disclosure - especially for immigration enforcement - and requires message switching systems to implement access controls. These changes aim to strengthen privacy protections for Maryland residents while modifying existing data privacy laws in the state code.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Immigration ✓ Technology

passed both · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HB 1433: Community Colleges - Collective Bargaining - Definition of Supervisory Employee

HB 1433 defines "supervisory employee" for collective bargaining purposes in Maryland community colleges. It specifies that a supervisory employee must have authority to hire, discipline, direct over 50% of work hours, or resolve complaints, while excluding department heads and faculty below assistant dean level. This definition determines which staff (non-supervisory employees) can participate in union negotiations. The bill amends Maryland’s Education Code and takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

passed both · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HB 1105: Statute of Limitations - Civil Suits to Enforce Local Consumer Protection Codes

HB 1105 sets a 3-year statute of limitations for prosecuting or enforcing local consumer protection codes in Maryland. It requires that legal actions for fines, penalties, or equitable relief must be filed within 3 years after local authorities knew or reasonably should have known about a violation. This applies directly to municipalities with their own consumer protection codes and affects businesses or entities violating those local rules. The bill modifies Maryland's judicial code to establish this timeframe for enforcement actions.

Bill results