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 299 prohibits employers from knowingly creating or using false records or statements that cause underpayment of unemployment insurance contributions or overpayment of benefits exceeding $15,000 annually. It requires civil penalties from fraud violations to be deposited into the Unemployment Insurance Fund and mandates the Labor Commissioner and Attorney General to enforce wage laws, including prevailing wage and living wage requirements. The bill also authorizes license revocation for workplace fraud violations and strengthens coordination between state agencies investigating fraud. This primarily affects employers, contractors, and licensed businesses subject to wage and unemployment insurance laws in Maryland.
HB 1022 prohibits the sale of specific products containing intentionally added PFAS chemicals (such as cleaning products, cookware, cosmetics, feminine hygiene items, and fabric treatments) in Maryland starting on set dates, phasing them out over time. It requires manufacturers to register products with PFAS and establishes testing to ensure compliance. The bill also creates the Maryland PFAS Chemicals Protection and Remediation Fund, funded by penalties and interest earnings, to support environmental cleanup projects. This law directly affects manufacturers, retailers, and consumers using these products within Maryland.
HB 1458 establishes Maryland's State Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Refugees and Asylees, providing food assistance to specific groups who lost federal SNAP eligibility after July 3, 2025. The program directly affects refugees, asylees, parolees (including Afghan and Ukrainian humanitarian parolees), and other noncitizens who met SNAP eligibility requirements under pre-2025 federal rules but became ineligible due to changes in federal law. It requires the Maryland Department of Human Services to administer the program using the same eligibility standards that were in effect on July 3, 2025, ensuring households with qualifying individuals receive benefits. The program takes effect July 1, 2026, restoring access to nutrition assistance for affected individuals.
HB 1479 (Maryland Raise the Wage Act) increases Maryland's minimum wage for most employers to $15 per hour starting January 1, 2024, rising to $18 per hour beginning January 1, 2028, with future increases tied to the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria Consumer Price Index (CPI). Small businesses (with 49 or fewer employees) receive a phased transition: $15 per hour from January 2024 through December 2028, then $18 per hour starting January 2029. The law automatically adjusts the wage annually based on CPI growth (capped at 5% per year), preventing freezes during periods of no CPI increase. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026, directly affecting all Maryland employers and their hourly workers.
HB 1585 authorizes Maryland’s Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to serve as the primary project manager for major state information technology projects costing $5 million or more, or those critical to public health, safety, or financial well-being. The bill requires MEDC to collaborate with the State IT Department and agencies on project scope, budget, risk management, and delivery, while also evaluating alternative financing options for such projects. It mandates identifying one pilot project for MEDC-led management within a specified timeframe. This directly affects MEDC, state IT agencies, and any state project meeting the defined criteria for "major information technology development." The bill updates existing law to clarify MEDC’s role in managing these specific technology initiatives.
HB 316 updates Maryland's definition of "medical record" to require healthcare providers to record certain patient information through official channels (written, electronic, or audio/video means) instead of entering it directly into the patient's personal record. It explicitly adds electronic messages (like texts or emails) that identify a patient to the protected definition of medical records. This affects healthcare providers who must now document specific communications in designated formats, ensuring digital patient interactions receive the same confidentiality protections as traditional medical records. The change takes effect October 1, 2026.
HB 1384 requires Maryland’s Department of Health to select and contract with a single State Pharmacy Benefits Manager (SPBM) by July 1, 2028. This SPBM will administer pharmacy benefits for all Medicaid recipients, including those enrolled in managed care plans, which must contract with and use the SPBM for all pharmacy services after that date. The bill prohibits "spread pricing" (where managers profit from price differences between pharmacies and the program) and mandates transparent pricing for drug costs, rebates, and fees. It directly affects Medicaid beneficiaries, managed care organizations, and pharmacies by centralizing pharmacy benefit management under state oversight.
SB 895 transfers oversight of Maryland's school mapping data program from the Center to the Department of State Police. It requires public safety agencies producing school mapping data to meet specific technical standards, including compatibility with emergency response software, true north orientation, detailed building/grounds labeling (like hazard locations and room numbers), and verification via physical walkthroughs. The bill also modifies funding rules to allow the Safe Schools Fund to support this mapping program, previously restricted to other safety initiatives. This affects all local school systems required to create standardized digital maps for emergency responders.
HB 1242 modifies requirements for transportation network companies (TNCs), like ride-sharing services, that contract with Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) to provide transit specifically for people with disabilities. The bill removes two existing requirements: mandatory national criminal history checks (including sex offender registry and nationwide database searches) and a required employee training course on disability accommodations. Instead, it mandates that these TNCs conduct annual background screenings for all drivers providing disability transit services. This change directly affects TNCs under MTA contracts facilitating disability transportation, while maintaining background screening obligations.
HB 1147, the "Public Service Commission Flexibility Act," gives Maryland's Public Service Commission (PSC) greater control over its internal operations. The bill requires the PSC to establish its own personnel management system (separate from the state system), set all employee compensation directly, and hire independent contractors for specialized work. It also mandates annual budget submissions to the Department of Budget and Management, annual financial audits, and exempts the PSC from certain state procurement laws and taxes. These changes directly affect PSC employees and the Commission’s administrative structure, streamlining its management while maintaining oversight requirements.
HB 353 requires gas and electric companies to notify both the property manager and local county officials before cutting service to a multifamily dwelling unit (like an apartment building) in Prince George’s County due to nonpayment. This applies only when the tenant has given written consent for the property manager to receive termination notices and the unit uses a master meter or submeter. The law mandates that companies establish procedures for this notification process, which must be completed before service is disconnected. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026, directly affecting utility providers, landlords, and county elected officials in Prince George’s County.
