Maryland Bills

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 20, 2025

HB 971: Anne Arundel County Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park Advisory Committee

HB 971 establishes the Anne Arundel County Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park Advisory Committee to advise on planning the memorial park. The committee, composed of 15 members including county officials, state legislators, Bowie State University representatives, and community experts with specific expertise (like cultural history, recreation, and civil rights), will provide recommendations to county leaders. It must address the park’s cultural history, health/wellness needs, equitable access, natural preservation, and educational opportunities. The committee must submit annual reports and will expire automatically on September 30, 2030. This is a procedural bill focused on governance, not policy changes.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 20, 2025

HB 1174: Montgomery County - Alcoholic Beverages - Class BD-BWL Licenses - Multiple Licenses MC 18-25

HB 1174 allows a single business owner in Montgomery County to hold two Class BD-BWL alcoholic beverage licenses instead of one. The first license permits full sales of beer, wine, and liquor for both on- and off-premises consumption, while the second license authorizes sales only of private-label beer and wine for off-premises consumption. This bill modifies Montgomery County's alcohol licensing rules by increasing the maximum number of licenses per holder and clarifying the restricted use of the second license. The changes take effect July 1, 2025.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 20, 2025

HB 406: State Board of Examiners for Audiologists, Hearing Aid Dispensers, Speech-Language Pathologists, and Music Therapists - Appointment of Hearing Aid Dispenser Members

HB 406 changes how hearing aid dispensers are appointed to Maryland's State Board of Examiners. The bill requires the Board to notify all licensed hearing aid dispensers in the state when a vacancy occurs, instead of relying solely on a pre-submitted list. It also mandates that the list of candidates provided to the Governor must include at least three times the number of available positions. This applies specifically to the three hearing aid dispenser members on the 15-member board, directly affecting licensed hearing aid dispensers seeking board appointments. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.

signed · Maryland · Senate May 20, 2025

SB 931: Public Utilities - Generating Stations - Generation and Siting (Renewable Energy Certainty Act)

SB 931, the Renewable Energy Certainty Act, streamlines permitting for solar energy projects by limiting local government authority to block or delay them. It prohibits jurisdictions from denying site plans for solar facilities or energy storage under certain conditions, requires expedited reviews for qualifying projects, and mandates automatic enrollment programs for community solar. The bill also sets specific requirements for residential rooftop solar installations and requires the Public Service Commission to study potential partnerships for renewable energy. These changes directly affect solar developers, local governments, and residents who may participate in community solar programs. The law alters how the Public Service Commission evaluates projects, emphasizing climate science and grid reliability while reducing local regulatory hurdles.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 20, 2025

HB 593: Public Libraries - Automated External Defibrillator Program (Raymono A. Russell Act)

HB 593 (the Raymono A. Russell Act) requires public library operators in Maryland to place an automated external defibrillator (AED) in a prominent, accessible location by January 1, 2026. Libraries must maintain the AED’s functionality and ensure a staff member trained in its use is present whenever the library is open to the public. The law specifically applies to public libraries (excluding school media programs) and grants limited immunity to libraries and trained individuals for AED-related actions. This replaces existing requirements for libraries under the Public Access AED Program.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 20, 2025

HB 43: Federally Qualified Health Centers Grant Program - Acquisition of Land

HB 43 expands Maryland's Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) Grant Program to explicitly include funding for land acquisition. The bill authorizes the Board of Public Works, upon the Secretary of Health's recommendation, to provide grants to counties, municipalities, and nonprofit organizations for purchasing land to build or operate FQHCs. This change adds "acquisition of land for construction or use" as a sixth eligible grant purpose, previously limited to building conversion, renovation, equipment, or construction planning. The policy directly supports community health centers - particularly in underserved areas - by easing access to land for new facilities, without altering existing grant categories. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 20, 2025

HB 813: Maryland Insurance Administration and Maryland Department of Health - Workgroup to Study Pharmacy Benefits Managers

HB 813 requires pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) to reimburse pharmacies at least the national average drug cost plus a professional dispensing fee for drugs covered under Maryland's Medicaid program (Maryland Medical Assistance Program). It directly affects pharmacies, PBMs, and managed care organizations that contract with PBMs for prescription drug coverage. Key provisions include expanding the definition of "purchaser" to include certain insurers and health plans, while excluding pharmacy-owned operations and mail-order pharmacies from the reimbursement rules. The bill aims to standardize payment rates for pharmacies serving Medicaid patients by tying reimbursements to nationally recognized cost benchmarks.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

signed · Maryland · Senate May 20, 2025

SB 304: Baltimore City - Alcoholic Beverages - 45th Alcoholic Beverages District - Licenses

SB 304 authorizes Baltimore City's Board of License Commissioners to issue a new Class C beer, wine, and liquor license for businesses operating in the 400 block of East Oliver Street within the 45th Alcoholic Beverages District. The license requires outdoor service only (no indoor seating), prohibits off-premises sales, mandates service begin no earlier than 10 a.m., and requires a memorandum of understanding with the Greenmount West Community Association. The bill also modifies operating hour boundaries for existing Class A and Class B-D-7 licenses in the 45th district. This directly affects businesses seeking this specific license type and the Greenmount West community through the required community agreement.

signed · Maryland · Senate May 20, 2025

SB 605: Digital Advertising Gross Revenues Tax - Assessments - Appeals and Corrections

SB 605 establishes a formal appeal process for businesses subject to Maryland's digital advertising gross revenues tax when they receive a tax assessment notice from the Comptroller. The bill requires the Comptroller to provide a 30-day window for taxpayers to request a revision of an assessment or claim a refund, and mandates an informal hearing before a final determination is issued. It also authorizes the Comptroller or their designee to issue orders correcting erroneous assessments without further appeal, with the order stating the reasons for the correction. This applies specifically to assessments issued after December 31, 2025, directly affecting digital advertising businesses that pay this tax.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 20, 2025

HB 443: Baby Food Labeling - Statement Regarding Toxic Heavy Metal Testing - Terminology

HB 443 changes the terminology used on baby food labels from "toxic heavy metal" to "toxic element" for arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. It requires manufacturers to test baby food (for children under age 2) monthly using accredited labs and publicly post test results on their websites starting January 1, 2026. Labels must include a scannable QR code linking to these results and FDA information about health effects. This bill directly affects baby food manufacturers selling in Maryland, focusing on clearer labeling of existing testing requirements without establishing new safety limits.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 20, 2025

HB 718: Maryland Health Insurance Coverage Protection Commission - Established

HB 718 establishes the Maryland Health Insurance Coverage Protection Commission to monitor and assess how federal changes to health care programs like the ACA, Medicaid, Medicare, and Maryland's All-Payer Model might affect residents' access to affordable coverage. The Commission, composed of state officials, health care industry representatives, and public members, will track federal policy shifts and evaluate their potential impacts on Marylanders. It will then provide state and local recommendations to protect health coverage access, particularly for vulnerable groups like low-income households and communities of color. This bill directly affects all Maryland residents by creating a dedicated body to safeguard health care access amid federal policy uncertainty.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 20, 2025

HB 1335: Caroline County - Alcoholic Beverages - Special Event Venue License and Multiple Event Licenses

HB 1335 creates a new "rural special event venue beer, wine, and liquor license" in Caroline County, allowing venues zoned for rural special events to operate multiple events annually under one license instead of per event. The bill permits license holders to store alcohol securely between events (in locked locations) for use only during licensed hours, requires detailed inventory records for two years, and sets tiered annual fees ($250-$1,000 based on event count). It directly affects venue owners in Caroline County, volunteer fire companies, and organizations holding multiple-event licenses under existing rules. The changes apply only to Caroline County and take effect July 1, 2025.

Bill results