Maryland Bills

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 25, 2026

HB 352: Concentration of Poverty School Grant Program - Personnel and Per Pupil Grants - Eligible Uses

HB 352 removes a fiscal year 2027 deadline that previously limited how schools could use personnel and per-pupil grants under Maryland's Concentration of Poverty School Grant Program. The bill specifically allows eligible schools with high poverty rates to use these funds for fine arts instructional programs, as defined in COMAR Title 13A, Subtitle 04, Section 13A.04.16.01. This change applies to schools serving a high concentration of eligible students and takes effect July 1, 2026. The bill modifies existing law to expand allowable uses of grant funds without altering the program's core structure or eligibility criteria.

Topics ✓ Education

passed · Maryland · Senate Mar 25, 2026

SB 352: Motor Vehicles - Special Registration Plates - Old Line Plates (Old Line License Plate Program Act of 2026)

SB 352 creates a special "Old Line Plate" program for Maryland motor vehicles, allowing owners of qualifying vehicles (passenger cars, light trucks under 10,000 lbs, and multipurpose vehicles) to obtain registration plates with numeric-only license numbers (1-5 digits, no letters or leading zeros). The Motor Vehicle Administration will auction rights to specific numbers, with proceeds funding transportation costs. Owners can transfer these number rights under strict rules (e.g., 180-day holding period, limited annual transfers) but cannot claim ownership of the plate itself. The program takes effect October 1, 2026, with the first auction by December 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Transportation

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 25, 2026

HB 582: Prince George’s County – Alcoholic Beverages Licenses – Voter Registration Requirement PG 318–26

HB 582 removes a voter registration requirement for individuals applying for or signing applications for specific alcoholic beverage licenses in Prince George’s County. The bill targets licenses for country clubs, golf clubs, yacht clubs, and educational facilities (such as the University of Maryland College Park Campus and Prince George’s Community College), which previously required the applicant or an officer to be a registered voter. It repeals this requirement while maintaining other conditions like residency and taxpayer status. The change takes effect July 1, 2026, simplifying license applications for these entities.

passed · Maryland · Senate Mar 25, 2026

SB 203: Environment - Lead Paint Abatement Services - Performance Bond and Liability Insurance

SB 203 requires accredited lead paint abatement service providers in Maryland to maintain a reasonable performance bond or liability insurance policy. This applies to any person accredited by the Department of the Environment to conduct lead paint hazard removal, containment, or renovation work in buildings constructed before 1978. The law amends existing regulations to mandate this financial protection, ensuring providers can cover costs if services fail to meet standards. The requirement takes effect July 1, 2026, and applies to all accredited professionals performing lead abatement work.

Topics ✓ Environment

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 25, 2026

HB 402: Common Ownership Communities - Oversight, Governing Document Database, and Local Commissions

HB 402 establishes a Common Ownership Community Ombudsman Unit within Maryland's Attorney General's Office to handle complaints from residents of homeowners associations (HOAs), condominiums, and cooperative housing communities about final adverse decisions made by their governing bodies. The unit will monitor relevant laws, provide members with information and referrals to dispute resolution services, and either make determinations about whether decisions violate laws or refer complaints to local county commissions. The bill also requires all common ownership communities to file governing documents with the Department of Housing and Community Development and mandates the department to create a public database of these documents. Annual reports on the unit's activities, including complaint volumes and actions taken, must be submitted to the department and the General Assembly.

Topics ✓ Housing

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 25, 2026

HB 16: Correctional Services - Maryland Parole Commission - Members and Hearing Examiners

HB 16 restructures Maryland's Parole Commission by increasing its membership from 10 to 15-20 members and changing how they are appointed. The bill requires the Governor to appoint members from a panel of 8 specific experts (including the Public Defender, a mental health specialist, and a prisoners' rights advocate), with the panel only needed for initial appointments. It eliminates the Commission's authority to use hearing examiners for parole hearings, replacing that role entirely. These changes directly affect parole commissioners, the parole hearing process, and individuals seeking parole in Maryland.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

passed · Maryland · Senate Mar 25, 2026

SB 225: Environment - Interjurisdictional Watersheds - Flood Management

SB 225 designates specific watersheds - including Gwynns Falls, Jones Falls, Herring Run (covering Baltimore City and Baltimore County), and the Patapsco River (spanning Baltimore, Howard, Carroll, Anne Arundel, and Frederick counties) - as "interjurisdictional flood hazard watersheds" requiring coordinated flood management planning across municipal and county boundaries. It mandates that local subdivisions develop unified flood management plans for these areas, which must be reviewed and approved by Maryland’s Department of the Environment to ensure consistency with flood control standards. The bill specifies that management techniques (like dams, levees, zoning, and stormwater systems) must be included in these plans, with disapproval limited to flood management concerns only. This policy change aims to streamline flood planning for watersheds crossing jurisdictional lines, taking effect October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Environment

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 25, 2026

HB 645: Criminal Law - Fraud - Assisted Reproductive Treatment

HB 645 prohibits intentionally or knowingly providing assisted reproductive treatments (such as IVF, sperm/egg donation, or embryo transfer) using one's own sperm or eggs without the recipient's consent. It creates a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years in prison or a $5,000 fine, and establishes a civil right for affected individuals to sue for damages. The law allows birth mothers, their spouses/domestic partners, or the child born from the treatment to seek compensation - including coverage of treatment costs, up to $50,000 in fixed damages, and attorney fees - and grants children access to the provider's medical records via a protective order. Lawsuits must be filed within 10 years of the child turning 18, 20 years from the treatment date, or 2 years after DNA evidence confirms a claim. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 25, 2026

HB 386: Metro Funding Modification Act of 2026

HB 386 modifies Maryland's funding for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) by requiring the Governor to withhold 35% of annual grants under specific conditions. It directly affects WMATA and Maryland's budget process, mandating that the Governor withhold funds if WMATA fails to submit required reports (like safety assessments and financial data) or if it doesn't develop a rail signaling workforce transition plan by July 2028. The bill also requires WMATA to provide detailed annual reports on safety, ridership, finances, and capital investments to trigger full funding. If WMATA receives a modified audit opinion without a corrective plan, or misses the workforce plan deadline, the Governor must withhold the funds until these conditions are met.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Transportation

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 25, 2026

HB 638: Judges - Mandatory Retirement Age

HB 638 proposes amending the Maryland Constitution to increase the mandatory retirement age for most judges from 70 to 73 years. The bill specifically affects judges in all courts except the District Court and certain Orphans' Court judges (with limited exceptions for Montgomery and Harford Counties). Key provisions revise Sections 3, 3A, 5A, 18B, and 41D of Article IV to reflect the new retirement age, requiring judges to retire upon reaching 73 instead of 70. This change would apply to all judges serving in elected or appointed judicial positions, excluding the specified exceptions. The amendment requires approval by three-fifths of both legislative chambers to proceed.

passed · Maryland · Senate Mar 25, 2026

SB 23: Green and Renewable Energy Efficiency for Nonprofits (GREEN) Loan Program and Fund - Establishment

This bill creates Maryland's GREEN Loan Program, providing no-interest loans to 501(c)(3) nonprofits for solar panels, energy-efficient building upgrades (like new windows or HVAC systems), and related planning. Nonprofits must contribute 10% of project costs, with priority given to those with annual budgets under $1 million. The program is funded through state budget appropriations and transfers from the Strategic Energy Investment Fund, managed by the Maryland Clean Energy Center. Loans require repayment over time with deferred payment options, and must demonstrate long-term energy cost savings exceeding the loan's total cost.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

passed · Maryland · Senate Mar 25, 2026

SB 270: Public Service Commission - Full Costs and Benefits Analysis of Sources of Electricity Generation

SB 270 requires Maryland's Public Service Commission to analyze the full costs to ratepayers of different electricity generation options, including natural gas, nuclear, and offshore wind (specifically 8,500 MW capacity). The analysis must compare costs under three scenarios: natural gas alone, nuclear alone, and offshore wind with energy storage, while accounting for wind's intermittency and reliability costs. It mandates using a standardized cost model to identify the most cost-effective energy sources for ratepayers. The Commission must submit findings and policy recommendations to relevant legislative committees by December 1, 2027. This bill directly affects Maryland electricity consumers by informing future energy policy decisions.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Energy

Bill results