SB 777 requires Maryland’s Department of Labor to allocate funds from the Hospital Employees Retraining Fund to local workforce development boards when hospitals close, downsize, or merge. It mandates that these boards be included in state workforce programs and receive funding for the State’s quick response program to assist workers affected by job losses. The bill also requires local boards to provide grants to employers through the Apprenticeship Career Training in Our Neighborhoods Program. These changes directly affect local workforce boards, hospitals facing operational changes, and workers needing retraining or job placement support.
HB 175 repeals the $300 annual limit on Maryland’s income tax credit for hunters donating processed antlerless deer meat to 501(c)(3) organizations, allowing individuals to claim up to $75 per deer processed for human consumption. It requires hunters to comply with state hunting laws and donate meat through eligible nonprofit programs, while mandating donation programs to report donor names and donation counts to the Comptroller annually. The bill directly affects hunters who process and donate antlerless deer meat to qualified nonprofits, removing a previous cap on the total credit amount. Key provisions include maintaining the $75 per deer limit, requiring donations to 501(c)(3) organizations, and adding reporting requirements for donation programs. This changes the policy by expanding access to the credit without increasing the per-deer benefit.
HB 250 authorizes Maryland's Department of the Environment to impose administrative penalties for violations of water appropriation, dam safety, and wetlands rules. It directly affects businesses, developers, and dam operators who breach these regulations. Key provisions include setting penalties up to $5,000 per violation (capped at $100,000 total), requiring consideration of factors like environmental harm and willfulness, and mandating that collected penalties fund the Maryland Clean Water Fund (except for dam safety cases, which go to a repair fund). The bill also streamlines enforcement by allowing the Department to issue immediate corrective orders and hold expedited hearings for urgent threats.
HB 363 authorizes Maryland counties to create a local child tax credit against county income tax for low-income families with children. It allows counties to provide a $500 credit per qualified child for taxpayers with federal adjusted gross income below $15,000, reduced by $50 for every $1,000 over that threshold. To qualify, both the taxpayer and child must be residents of the county (either domiciled there or maintaining a principal residence). Counties must formally adopt the credit by July 1 prior to implementation and notify the Comptroller, but the credit is optional for counties to implement.
SB 257 requires the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to include specific details in its annual report to the Senate Committee on Education, Energy, and the Environment and the House Environment and Transportation Committee. The report must state how much money from a tax on transfers of woodland property was distributed to the Mel Noland Woodland Incentives and Fellowship Fund in the previous fiscal year, plus any uncertainties about that amount. This bill does not change the Fund’s purpose or funding sources but mandates clearer annual reporting for transparency. The reporting requirement applies to annual reports due September 30 each year, effective July 1, 2026.
HB 358 exempts sales tax on in-person book fairs held at Maryland elementary or secondary schools when organized by the school, a nonprofit parent-teacher organization (PTO), or another school-based nonprofit. The exemption applies only if the book fair occurs on school premises and all net proceeds are used solely for the school’s educational benefit or student programs. This change modifies Maryland’s tax code by adding a new exemption under Section 11-204(b)(9), specifically covering book fairs managed by school staff, students, or PTO members acting as agents for vendors. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.
SB 28 requires state agencies and institutions (like the University System of Maryland and Maryland Environmental Service) to use a neutral third-party arbitrator from the American Arbitration Association's panel when collective bargaining reaches an impasse. It mandates that budget bills include all necessary funds to implement agreements reached through bargaining, including memoranda of understanding (MOUs) covering employee terms and conditions. The bill makes the arbitrator's recommendations advisory (not binding) and sets deadlines for negotiations to conclude by September 30. This directly affects state employees represented by exclusive bargaining units and ensures funding for negotiated terms is included in annual budgets.
HB 429 establishes two grant programs to reduce food waste and promote composting. The On-Farm Organics Diversion Grant Program (under Agriculture) funds farmers, urban farmers, and related entities to implement on-farm composting, food rescue, and waste prevention. The Wasted Food Reduction Grant Program (under Environment) funds projects like food rescue infrastructure, community composting, and education to reduce wasted food statewide. Eligible projects must meet specific standards, such as producing certified compost and prioritizing underserved communities, with grants awarded annually starting July 2028.
SB 39 establishes a workgroup to develop a sustainable reimbursement rate methodology for Maryland's Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) and Outpatient Mental Health Centers (OMHCs), directly affecting behavioral health providers facing financial strain due to outdated rates. The bill requires the Maryland Department of Health to conduct a cost study of OMHC services, form an advisory panel to review rate recommendations, and increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for OMHCs in fiscal years 2026 and 2027. Key provisions include evaluating provider costs, workforce needs, and alignment with somatic health care parity, while addressing closures like those in Frederick County. The workgroup must report findings by December 2027, aiming to stabilize provider finances and ensure continued access to community mental health care.
HB 595 modifies Maryland's income tax credit for physicians mentoring medical students in underserved areas. It removes a requirement that students must be enrolled in a Maryland medical school or training program and reduces the required hours per preceptor rotation from 100 to 90 for community-based clinical training. Licensed physicians serving as preceptors in designated healthcare shortage areas may claim a $1,000 tax credit per qualifying student rotation, capped at $10,000 annually per physician and $100,000 statewide. The bill aims to expand access to physician mentorship by broadening eligibility for the credit, directly benefiting doctors and medical training programs in regions facing healthcare workforce shortages.
