HB 671 requires Maryland's Governor to allocate at least 3% of funds collected from a Medicaid quality assessment on qualifying nursing facilities (45+ beds operating in the state) to fund the Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman starting in fiscal year 2027. This directly affects nursing facilities that pay the assessment and ensures dedicated, supplemental funding for the Ombudsman office, which advocates for residents' rights in long-term care settings. The bill updates existing law to mandate this specific allocation from the assessment pool, specifying that these funds must be "in addition to" and not replace existing Ombudsman funding. It does not change the assessment rate (capped at 6% of facility revenue) or the reporting requirements for the Department.
SB 340 requires the Governor to allocate at least 3% of funds collected from nursing facilities' Medicaid quality assessments toward the Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman's operations in the state budget. It directly affects nursing facilities with 45 or more beds operating in Maryland, which must pay the quality assessment. The bill mandates that these funds - collected quarterly based on non-Medicare patient days - must be used solely for the Ombudsman office, with no reduction to existing funding for this purpose. This creates a dedicated, ongoing funding source to support the Ombudsman's role in investigating resident complaints and advocating for long-term care rights.
SB 877 authorizes Baltimore City to pilot stop sign monitoring systems (cameras that capture violations) in the Mt. Washington neighborhood school zones, specifically within the 41st legislative district. It requires that 50% of fines collected from violations caught by these systems be directed to Baltimore City's local management board for youth programming and services exclusively for youth living in or attending schools within the 41st district. The bill also aligns Baltimore City's rules with existing Maryland law for similar programs in Prince George’s County and Takoma Park. This pilot program is limited to specific school zones and mandates dedicated funding for local youth services.
SB 858 establishes the Audit and Finance Compliance Unit within Maryland's Department of Budget and Management. The unit directly affects all Executive Branch state agencies by monitoring their progress in resolving audit findings from the Office of Legislative Audits. Key provisions require the unit to create a public dashboard on its website showing agency audit status (including resolution timelines and repeat findings), form a specialized team to assist agencies with four or more repeat audit issues, and report quarterly to the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee. The dashboard must launch by October 1, 2027, and track corrective actions for all agencies annually.
SB 833 (introduced by Senator Hershey) amends Maryland law to allow Queen Anne’s County Commissioners to use development impact fees for capital costs related to replacing public school facilities. This expands the existing authorized uses of these fees under Section 20-706 of the Maryland Annotated Code, specifically adding school facility replacement as a permitted purpose. The bill applies only to Queen Anne’s County and takes effect July 1, 2026. It is a procedural change to the county’s fee usage rules, not a new tax or broad policy shift.
HB 1452 establishes the Suitland Development Authority in Prince George’s County to revitalize the Suitland Road and Silver Hill Road intersection area, which has faced decades of underdevelopment and blight. The Authority will create neighborhood revitalization plans with resident input, modify project boundaries (subject to a vote), manage finances, and operate tax-exempt under certain conditions. It directly affects residents and businesses in this specific neighborhood by aiming to boost economic activity, reduce unemployment, retain existing businesses, and increase property tax revenue for the county and state. The bill creates a new government entity focused on targeted neighborhood redevelopment, not broader policy changes.
HB 898, the DECADE Act, reorganizes Maryland's economic development programs to streamline administration and expand incentives. It redesignates the Economic Development Opportunities Program Account as the "Strategic Closing Fund" under the Department of Commerce, alters eligibility and calculation rules for tax credits (including Job Creation, R&D, and film production credits), and extends the Build Our Future Grant Pilot Program. The bill allows pass-through entities to allocate tax credits to members and removes limits on film production tax credit certificates. These changes directly affect businesses, investors, and film producers seeking state economic development incentives.
SB 606 requires the Maryland Transportation Authority to analyze unused E-ZPass commuter trips from 2023-2025 and submit a report by September 2026. The report must include data on unused trips (numbers, costs, demographics) and recommend solutions like extending usage windows or offering rollovers to reduce forfeited funds. It also mandates a corrective action plan if over 25% of discount plans had unused trips during those years. The bill directly affects E-ZPass commuters, particularly low-income residents and those in communities with limited banking access, by addressing financial losses from unused prepaid trips. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, and expires June 30, 2027.
HB 1422 requires Maryland state agencies receiving at least $2 billion annually in state and federal funds to appoint chief financial officers (CFOs) meeting specific qualifications, such as being a certified public accountant with five years of fiscal management experience or holding a relevant master's degree with three years of experience. These CFOs must submit detailed annual financial reports to the Office of the Comptroller, including certification of accuracy and documentation linking federal funds to specific programs. The bill also authorizes the Secretary of Budget to grant pay plan exemptions to help recruit qualified CFOs and mandates agencies to provide documentation if they choose not to pursue liquidated damages from contract breaches. This legislation applies to Executive Branch units meeting the funding threshold and aims to standardize financial oversight.
SB 277 changes how Maryland handles probate cases and inheritance tax for people who did not live in Maryland at the time of death. It requires that for inheritance tax purposes, intangible property (like stocks, bank accounts, or investments) is taxed based on the decedent's home state, not where the property is located in Maryland. The bill also repeals an existing exemption that previously allowed nonresident decedents to avoid inheritance tax on personal property passing to heirs. These changes apply retroactively to estates opened before the law took effect.
