Maryland Bills

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 13, 2025

HB 767: Real Property - Landlord and Tenant - Procedures for Failure to Pay Rent, Breach of Lease, and Tenant Holding Over

HB 767, the Tenant Possessions Recovery Act, updates Maryland landlord-tenant eviction procedures. It requires landlords to provide tenants with notice before an eviction order is executed and mandates that tenants' belongings be safely stored (not discarded) after eviction. The bill sets a 60-day deadline for landlords to act on eviction orders or risk losing the judgment, includes weather-related stays for extreme conditions (like freezing temps or storms), and prioritizes completing evictions within 5 days after weather ends. This directly affects landlords and tenants involved in eviction cases under Maryland law.

Topics ✓ Housing

Jheanelle Wilkins (D) Dana Stein (D) Mary Lehman (D) Julie Palakovich Carr (D) Nicole Williams (D)

signed · Maryland · Senate May 13, 2025

SB 23: Natural Resources - State Boat Act - Auctioneers

SB 23 exempts licensed auctioneers acting on behalf of sellers, secured parties, or owners (without taking title) from being classified as "dealers" under Maryland's State Boat Act. This change specifically removes regulatory requirements for these auctioneers, as they are no longer considered dealers when title doesn't pass to them and the auction isn't used to bypass boat sale laws. The bill amends Section 8-701(c)(3) of Maryland's Annotated Code, clarifying that "dealer" excludes such auctioneers. It directly affects licensed auctioneers conducting boat sales as agents for others, not taking ownership. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 13, 2025

HB 1375: Vehicle Equipment - Portable Variable Messaging Signs - Authorization

HB 1375 allows tow trucks in Maryland to display portable digital message signs while at the scene of accidents or disabled vehicles. The bill requires these signs to follow state traffic control device standards and only show messages approved by the State Highway Administration. This change specifically applies to tow truck operations and does not affect other vehicle types. The law will take effect on October 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Transportation

signed · Maryland · Senate May 13, 2025

SB 92: Peace Orders and Criminal Harassment - Intentional Visual Surveillance

SB 92 adds "intentional visual surveillance of areas of a residence where the petitioner has a reasonable expectation of privacy" as a new grounds for seeking a peace order in Maryland. It directly affects individuals experiencing unwanted filming or monitoring in private home spaces (like yards or windows) by requiring courts to grant specific relief. Key provisions include ordering the surveilling person to remove surveillance devices within 15 days and permanently stop further visual monitoring. The bill amends Sections 3-1503(a)(12) and 3-1505(d)(1)(vii) of Maryland’s Courts and Judicial Proceedings code. It takes effect October 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Technology

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 13, 2025

HB 894: Endangered and Threatened Species - Incidental Taking - Bats

HB 894 creates a new permit process for incidental bat take in Maryland, replacing the existing Delmarva fox squirrel provision. It requires applicants (like developers or landowners) to submit a detailed conservation plan showing how they’ll minimize harm to bats, secure funding, and justify why alternatives weren’t used. The Secretary of Natural Resources must then verify the plan won’t harm bat recovery, impacts will be minimized, and funding is secured before issuing a permit. This directly affects projects in areas with bat habitats where accidental harm might occur during construction or land development.

Topics ✓ Environment

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 13, 2025

HB 360: Prince George's County - Community Associations - Registration Fees for Administrative Hearing Process PG 408-25

HB 360 requires community association management companies in Prince George's County to register annually with the county office and pay a $100 fee. This fee, collected from management entities (like property management firms), directly funds the county's alternative dispute resolution (ADR) program. The ADR program resolves conflicts between community associations (e.g., homeowners associations) and their owners. The bill amends Maryland law to establish this registration system and mandate that collected fees cover ADR costs exclusively. It applies only to community association management services within Prince George's County.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 13, 2025

HB 1470: Prince George's County - Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area Protection Program - Cutting or Clearing Trees MC/PG 113-25

HB 1470 modifies Maryland law to protect new property owners in Prince George’s County from liability for tree-cutting violations committed by previous owners in the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area. Specifically, it states that someone who good-faith purchases property in this area cannot be held responsible for tree-cutting done by prior owners or users in violation of existing rules. The bill also requires the Critical Area Commission to create regulations allowing affected individuals to appeal enforcement actions under this section. These changes apply only to Prince George’s County and take effect October 1, 2025.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 13, 2025

HB 1236: Queen Anne's County - Municipalities - Speed Limits

HB 1236 allows municipalities in Queen Anne's County to lower speed limits on highways to at least 15 mph without first conducting a traffic study. This directly affects local governments in Queen Anne's County when adjusting speed limits on roads within their jurisdictions. The bill amends Maryland law to add a specific exception (Section 21-803(a)(6)) for these municipalities, removing the requirement for an engineering and traffic investigation that applies to other counties. The change takes effect October 1, 2025, and only applies to speed limit reductions within Queen Anne's County.

Topics ✓ Transportation

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 13, 2025

HB 182: Motor Vehicles - Speed Monitoring Systems - Penalties

HB 182 sets new civil penalties for speeding violations recorded by speed monitoring systems (photo radar), with fines increasing based on how much over the speed limit a driver was traveling - ranging from $40 for 12-15 mph over to $350 for 40+ mph over. It restricts where these systems can be used, limiting deployment to specific areas like residential zones (35 mph limits), school zones, and certain highways in Anne Arundel, Prince George’s, and Baltimore counties. Local jurisdictions must authorize the systems through public hearings and local laws before implementation. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025, and applies only to civil penalties, not criminal charges.

Topics ✓ Transportation

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 13, 2025

HB 988: Montgomery County - Speed Monitoring Systems - Maryland Route 200 (Intercounty Connector) MC 10-25

HB 988 authorizes the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) to install and operate speed monitoring systems on Maryland Route 200 (Intercounty Connector) in Montgomery County. It directly affects drivers receiving speeding citations on this highway and changes where civil penalties go: fines collected by the District Court for these citations must now be remitted directly to the MDTA instead of the state. The bill updates court procedures to require that speed monitoring system citations (specifically for MDTA-controlled systems) have penalties paid to the MDTA in uncontested cases, while contested cases still go through the court. This is a procedural change to redirect existing fine revenue to the MDTA for managing these systems on Route 200.

Topics ✓ Transportation

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 13, 2025

HB 707: Vehicle Laws - Licenses, Identification Cards, and Moped Operator's Permits - Notation of Nonapparent Disability (Eric's ID Law)

HB 707 (Eric’s ID Law) requires Maryland’s Motor Vehicle Administration to add a voluntary notation for nonapparent disabilities - such as developmental or intellectual disabilities - on driver’s licenses, ID cards, and moped permits. Applicants can choose to indicate this disability without providing proof or paying extra fees, and the notation will appear on the document’s bottom. The law prohibits the Administration from disclosing this information to insurers or using it to refer applicants to medical boards. It also mandates public outreach to inform people about this option. This directly affects individuals with nonapparent disabilities who apply for or renew these documents.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 13, 2025

HB 869: Preserve Telehealth Access Act of 2025

HB 869, the Preserve Telehealth Access Act of 2025, removes the June 30, 2025, expiration date from Maryland's law allowing audio-only telephone conversations to count as telehealth for reimbursement and coverage. The bill requires Maryland's Medicaid program and participating insurers to continue covering and reimbursing audio-only telehealth visits at the same rate as in-person services without time restrictions. This change directly affects Medicaid beneficiaries, health care providers, and private insurers operating in Maryland. The bill does not alter existing requirements that telehealth services must be medically necessary and appropriately delivered.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

Bill results