HB 153 requires landlords to provide air-conditioning in most residential rental units in Maryland under specific conditions. It applies to buildings with four or more dwelling units (excluding historic properties, pre-1950 developments, and certain Baltimore public housing), mandating landlords maintain temperatures at or below 80°F in living areas from June 1 to September 30 each year. New construction must comply starting June 1, 2026, while units with major electrical or heating system upgrades must comply starting October 1, 2026. The law does not apply retroactively to buildings with permits issued before the bill's effective date.
HB 210 requires Maryland counties and municipalities with automated traffic enforcement programs (like speed cameras or red-light cameras) to submit quarterly reports to the Vision Zero coordinator. These reports must include specific details for each citation issued to out-of-state vehicles, such as license plate numbers, payment status, and whether the citation is past due. The bill, set to take effect October 1, 2026, creates a standardized reporting process to track enforcement against non-resident drivers without changing traffic laws or enforcement practices.
HB 55 modifies Maryland's vehicle laws to expand where speed monitoring systems (like photo radar) can be used in residential areas. It updates the definition of "residential district" to require properties along highways to be mainly residential for at least 300 feet and not business areas. The bill specifically authorizes these systems on highways in residential districts with 35 mph limits, school zones, certain roads in Prince George’s County, and high-risk crash locations identified in safety plans. Local governments must first approve their use via public hearing and local law. This affects residents in designated areas and requires new local authorization for speed monitoring enforcement.
SB 45 updates Maryland's vehicle laws to expand where speed monitoring systems (cameras) can be used in residential areas. It clarifies that "residential district" means areas with mostly homes adjacent to highways (excluding business zones), and specifies locations for camera deployment, including residential streets with 35mph limits (set via traffic engineering), school zones, and certain highways in Anne Arundel, Prince George’s, and other counties. Local governments must first adopt local laws and hold public hearings before using cameras. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.
SB 65 clarifies rules for "exploratory committees," which potential candidates form to test their viability for office before officially running. It removes contribution limits for these committees (meaning donors can give any amount) but restricts their spending to specific activities like polls, mailings, staff, websites, and office equipment. If a candidate later creates an official campaign committee, they must buy any equipment from the exploratory committee at fair market value. Any leftover funds must be returned to donors or designated organizations within 120 days, either pro-rata to contributors or to a political party, nonprofit, or campaign fund. The bill applies existing campaign finance rules to exploratory committees while creating specific allowances for their temporary use.
HB 139 establishes an annual tax-free day on November 11 (Veterans Day) starting in 2026, allowing veterans to purchase items under $2,000 without paying Maryland's sales tax. To qualify, veterans must show a driver's license or ID card noting veteran status at the point of sale. The Comptroller can suspend the tax-free day at their discretion. This law directly affects veterans shopping for qualifying items on Veterans Day, creating a temporary sales tax exemption with specific verification requirements.
HB 44 requires that summaries on petitions to place ballot questions and the descriptions of those questions on ballots be written in plain language, avoiding jargon, double negatives, and passive voice. It mandates that these summaries include a brief title, a clear explanation of the policy change, and the practical outcome of each voting choice. The bill sets a July 1 deadline for election officials to prepare and certify this information before general elections and requires a 15-day public comment period on proposed language. These changes apply to all petitions and ballot questions in Maryland, aiming to improve voter clarity.
SB 180 allows fair housing testers working for specific programs (federal, state, local governments, or qualifying nonprofit civil rights organizations) to legally record oral communications during housing tests to document potential discrimination. The bill creates an exception to Maryland's wiretap law, permitting testers to intercept conversations they are party to if the recording is solely for gathering evidence of fair housing violations under federal, state, or local law. Crucially, recordings made under this exception cannot be used as evidence in court or other proceedings except to enforce fair housing laws. The law takes effect October 1, 2026, and directly affects fair housing testing organizations and their trained testers.
SB 246 amends Maryland law to change how members of the Health Services Cost Review Commission serve after their term ends. Currently, members could serve until a successor was appointed and qualified; this bill limits post-term service to a maximum of six months. It also repeals the previous rule allowing members appointed after a term began to serve until a successor was appointed. The change affects Commission members and the Governor, who appoints them, streamlining leadership transitions. This is a procedural adjustment to the Commission's membership terms, not a substantive policy change to health services.
HB 50 proposes a constitutional amendment requiring special elections to fill vacancies in Maryland's General Assembly (Delegates or Senators) when the vacancy occurs 55 days or more before the candidate filing deadline for the regular statewide election held in the second year of a term. This would replace current gubernatorial appointments with a special election held simultaneously with the next regular primary and general elections. The change directly affects legislative districts where vacancies happen early enough to trigger this process, ensuring the replacement is chosen by voters rather than appointed by the governor. The amendment would take effect if approved by voters in the 2026 general election.
SB 247 converts Maryland's Biotechnology Investment Incentive Tax Credit into a direct grant program administered by the Department of Commerce. It replaces tax credits with cash grants for qualifying biotechnology companies engaged in research, development, or commercialization of biological technologies. The bill requires the Department to disburse grants within a specified timeframe and allows recipients to deduct these grants from their Maryland income tax for the same year. This change shifts the incentive from tax savings to immediate funding, directly affecting eligible biotech firms in Maryland.
This bill expands Maryland's income tax deduction for retirement income by adding "9-1-1 specialists" to the list of eligible public safety employees. It modifies tax code sections to include retired 9-1-1 specialists - defined as employees handling emergency calls and dispatching services - in the $15,000 annual tax deduction for retirement income. The change directly affects retired 9-1-1 specialists who meet the age requirement (55+), allowing them to reduce their taxable income by up to $15,000. The policy takes effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.
