Maryland Bills

passed · Maryland · Senate Mar 25, 2026

SB 108: Environment - Water Resources and Wetlands - Enforcement

SB 108 authorizes Maryland's Department of the Environment to impose administrative penalties for violations of water appropriation, dam safety, and wetlands development rules. It directly affects businesses, developers, and local governments that fail to comply with environmental regulations. Key provisions allow the department to levy fines up to $5,000 per violation (capped at $100,000 total), considering factors like environmental harm and willfulness, with penalties paid into the Maryland Clean Water Fund (or Private Dam Repair Fund for dam-related issues). The bill replaces some court-based enforcement with direct administrative penalties, streamlining enforcement while requiring department consultation before suing local governments.

Topics ✓ Environment

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 24, 2026

HB 1054: Criminal Law - Ethics Violations, Malfeasance, Misfeasance, and Nonfeasance - Statute of Limitations

HB 1054 extends the statute of limitations for prosecuting certain ethics-related crimes from 2 to 3 years. It directly affects public officials (state, agency, or local government employees) accused of violating Maryland's Public Ethics Law or committing malfeasance, misfeasance, or nonfeasance in office. The bill amends Maryland law to require that prosecutions for these offenses, or conspiracy to commit them, must be filed within 3 years of the alleged crime. This change provides a longer window for prosecutors to bring charges related to public ethics violations. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

passed · Maryland · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 589: Business Regulation - Collection Agencies and Property Managers

SB 589 exempts property managers in Maryland from needing a separate license to collect rent, utilities, or fees for residential tenants. The bill specifically applies to property managers whose primary business is managing real property (not debt collection), and who collect payments only during a lease term or holdover period. This change removes a licensing requirement for these managers under Section 7-301 of Maryland's Business Regulation law, as long as debt collection isn't their main business activity. The exemption directly affects residential property management companies and individuals handling routine tenant payments. The bill amends Maryland law to clarify this exemption without creating new requirements.

passed · Maryland · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 932: Consumer Protection - Social Media Platforms - Display of User Location

SB 932 requires social media platforms operating in Maryland to display the city and country (derived from IP address) of each adult user whose account is visible to a Maryland user. It applies to platforms like Facebook or Instagram, directly affecting both the platforms (which must implement this display) and Maryland users (who gain visibility into the general location of other users they interact with). The law explicitly excludes minors' locations from display and defines "general geographical location" to exclude precise GPS data. This is a consumer protection measure focused on transparency, not data collection or sharing.

Topics ✓ Technology

passed · Maryland · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 876: Recovery Residences - Certification - Requirement

SB 876 requires recovery residences in Maryland to obtain certification from an approved credentialing entity before operating, beginning January 1, 2027. This directly affects recovery residences - housing facilities providing alcohol- and drug-free living for individuals with substance use disorders (but not clinical treatment services). The bill mandates credentialing entities to establish standards, conduct inspections, and issue annual certificates, with penalties of up to $1,000 per violation for operating without certification or falsely advertising certification. It replaces existing authorization language with a mandatory requirement and adds transparency through public lists of certified residences and credentialing entities.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

passed · Maryland · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 870: Maryland Department of Health - Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatient Beds - Reports on Capacity and Outcomes

SB 870 requires the Maryland Department of Health to ensure at least 24 licensed adolescent psychiatric inpatient beds are operational in Prince George’s County by December 2028. The bill mandates the Department to expand capacity through existing facilities, private contracts, or public-private partnerships, prioritizing solutions that reduce emergency department boarding and ensure access regardless of insurance. It also creates a grant program to fund capital costs like construction, renovations, and safety upgrades for qualifying facilities. The Department must report annually to the Governor and General Assembly on bed availability, boarding metrics, staffing barriers, and recommendations for maintaining capacity.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 24, 2026

HB 1567: Vehicle Laws - Bicycles, Motor Scooters, and EPAMDs - Audible Warnings (Pass Pedestrians Safely Act)

HB 1567, the "Pass Pedestrians Safely Act," requires bicycle, motor scooter, and electric personal assistive mobility device (EPAMD) operators to maintain at least 3 feet of distance when passing pedestrians or vehicles if practicable, and to give an audible warning (like a bell or horn) before passing pedestrians. It directly affects riders of these devices in Maryland by adding specific safety obligations to existing traffic laws. Violations are treated as secondary offenses (only enforceable if another traffic violation is suspected) and carry a $25 civil penalty. The bill amends Maryland’s vehicle code to prioritize pedestrian safety during overtaking maneuvers.

Topics ✓ Transportation

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 24, 2026

HB 1569: Parking Enforcement - Vehicles in Custody or Control of Auto Repair or Storage Facility

HB 1569 shifts liability for parking citations from vehicle owners to auto repair or storage facilities when a vehicle is in the facility's custody or control under a repair order or service agreement. It prohibits facilities from requiring customers to waive these rights as a condition of service. If a vehicle was under a facility's custody at the time of a parking violation, the registered owner cannot be held liable for fines or fees, and courts must immediately dismiss the citation against them. The bill also allows parking enforcement agencies to reissue citations directly to the facility if evidence confirms the vehicle was in their custody.

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 24, 2026

HB 1383: Children in Need of Assistance - Permanency Plan Requirements

HB 1383 modifies Maryland's juvenile court process for children in foster care by requiring courts to make specific, detailed findings about local child welfare departments' "reasonable efforts" in creating permanency plans. The bill mandates courts to assess whether departments met nine individualized needs - including health, education, safety, housing, and financial preparation - before finalizing plans or conducting review hearings. It also adds specific requirements for youth aged 18+ to prepare for independence, such as securing health insurance, applying for benefits, and establishing housing plans. This bill directly affects juvenile courts, child welfare departments, and children in foster care, particularly those transitioning to adulthood.

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 24, 2026

HB 1467: Criminal Law - Fourth Degree Sexual Offense - Out-of-State Convictions

HB 1467 amends Maryland's criminal code to allow out-of-state, federal, or tribal court convictions for certain sex offenses to count as prior convictions for enhanced sentencing. Specifically, it expands the definition of "prior conviction" under fourth-degree sexual offense penalties to include crimes that would qualify as violations of specific Maryland statutes (e.g., sexual offenses involving minors) if committed in Maryland. This directly affects repeat offenders who have prior convictions for equivalent offenses in other jurisdictions, potentially leading to longer prison terms (up to 3 years) for subsequent offenses. The bill does not change the underlying offenses but modifies sentencing eligibility based on prior convictions from outside Maryland. It takes effect October 1, 2026.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 24, 2026

HB 1056: General Provisions - Commemorative Days - Purple Lights Night

HB 1056 designates October 1 as "Purple Lights Night" in Maryland, requiring the Governor to annually proclaim this day. The bill honors individuals in the state who are victims or survivors of domestic violence and expresses support for eliminating domestic violence. It adds this commemorative day to Maryland law through a procedural change in the Annotated Code (Section 7-417), without creating new programs or funding. The bill is purely ceremonial, focusing on symbolic recognition rather than policy implementation. It takes effect July 1, 2026.

passed · Maryland · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 620: Criminal Law - Wearing, Carrying, or Transporting a Handgun - Prior Convictions

SB 620 modifies Maryland's sentencing for handgun violations by expanding the list of prior convictions that trigger enhanced penalties. It adds certain convictions from other states, federal courts, or tribal courts to the list that count toward stricter sentencing under Section 4-203(c) of the Criminal Law. Specifically, if a person has prior convictions (including out-of-state or federal offenses that would violate Maryland's handgun laws), they face longer mandatory minimum sentences for subsequent violations. This directly affects individuals with prior criminal records who are convicted of carrying, wearing, or transporting a handgun in Maryland.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

Bill results