SB 58 allows Baltimore City or Maryland counties to offer property tax credits to owners who convert former gas stations into retail, residential, or mixed-use properties. The credit is specifically intended to help cover costs for removing old underground gas tanks and cleaning up soil or water contamination from those tanks. Local governments can set the credit amount and duration, and the state will reimburse them 50% of the lost property tax revenue. This directly affects property owners and developers planning to redevelop former gas station sites into other commercial or housing uses.
HB 320 creates a property tax credit for Anne Arundel County landowners who sell development rights under the Rural Legacy Program. It allows the county to grant a credit against the county property tax for real property located in a designated Rural Legacy Area (as defined in Maryland’s Natural Resources Article) where the owner has sold development rights. This directly affects rural landowners participating in the Rural Legacy Program who choose to restrict future development on their land. The credit replaces an existing provision and becomes effective for tax years beginning after June 30, 2026.
HB 405 prevents condo and HOA governing bodies from unreasonably blocking electric vehicle (EV) charger installations in common or limited common use parking areas. It requires boards to follow regular budget processes and confirm sufficient parking availability before installing chargers. The law also allows boards to grant 3-year renewable licenses for necessary common elements (like electrical supply) for EV equipment. This applies retroactively to existing restrictions and takes effect October 1, 2026, directly affecting condo/HOA communities and their residents.
HB 1532 amends Maryland's energy laws to adjust electricity rate structures and efficiency programs. It lowers the qualifying threshold for large commercial/industrial customers to access a specific rate schedule from 100 megawatts to 25 megawatts, directly affecting major energy users like factories and data centers. The bill also changes multiyear rate plan rules to prevent utilities from passing certain costs to customers and requires refunds if actual revenue differs from forecasts. Additionally, it updates energy efficiency program cycles, greenhouse gas target calculations, and definitions for energy resources like "zero-emission credits" used in procurement.
HB 1267 requires local zoning authorities to maintain specific zoning classifications for two federal properties: the Patuxent Research Refuge and the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center. The bill mandates that any portion of these properties sold, leased, or transferred by the federal government must retain a zoning classification restricting uses to open space, reserved open space, or resource conservation - prohibiting commercial, industrial, or residential development. This applies to the Patuxent Refuge under Section 4-217 and to Beltsville Agricultural Research Center property under Section 25-211 of Maryland law. The law takes effect June 1, 2026, and permanently prohibits local zoning exceptions for these properties.
HB 1599 establishes Maryland's Chesapeake Bay Enhancement Program within the Department of Natural Resources. The program provides $2 million annually (starting fiscal year 2028) from the Transportation Trust Fund to fund oyster propagation and replenishment projects. These projects specifically mitigate harm to the state's oyster population caused by transportation projects at the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore, including dredging, pier/bridge construction, and channel maintenance. The law requires the Governor to include this funding in the annual budget bill, directly affecting oyster restoration groups and transportation project developers needing to offset environmental impacts.
SB 558 establishes Maryland's Chesapeake Bay Enhancement Program within the Department of Natural Resources. The program provides $2 million annually (starting fiscal year 2028) from the Transportation Trust Fund to fund oyster propagation and replenishment projects. These projects specifically offset damage to the state's oyster population caused by transportation activities at the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore, including dredging, pier/bridge construction, and shipping channel maintenance. The funding must be included in the governor's annual budget bill. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.
HB 870, the "Large Buildings for Tomorrow Act," requires new construction of large commercial and multifamily residential buildings (over 35,000 square feet) to meet specific energy conservation standards set by the Maryland Department of Labor. The bill defines "covered buildings" to include most large commercial structures and state-owned buildings, but excludes historic properties, schools, manufacturing facilities, and agricultural buildings. It mandates that adopted energy conservation requirements must be at least as stringent as the International Energy Conservation Code, with the state allowed to set stricter standards to improve efficiency. The law also establishes clear definitions for terms like "energy conservation measure" to guide implementation and ensure consistency.
SB 625 requires Maryland's Department of the Environment to adopt regulations by January 1, 2028, for permitting carbon removal technologies and practices certified by an internationally recognized third party. It also mandates that all state agencies use available funding to support carbon removal projects using these certified technologies. The bill directly affects the Department of the Environment (which must create the regulations) and state agencies (which must redirect funding toward qualifying projects). This legislation establishes a framework for integrating carbon removal into state environmental and funding policies.
HB 1063 modifies Maryland's hunting regulations to allow the Department of Natural Resources to authorize deer population reductions on properties with documented deer damage (such as crop destruction or forest harm) through permits permitting Sunday deer hunting, while restricting it within 25 yards of designated equestrian trails. It repeals the ban on Sunday hunting for migratory game birds and allows the Department to establish county-specific Sunday hunting rules during game bird and mammal seasons, with most counties now permitting limited Sunday hunting (typically from 30 minutes before sunrise until 10:30 a.m.). The bill directly affects property owners with deer damage on 10+ acre properties, hunters in counties like Calvert, Caroline, and Worcester, and the Department of Natural Resources, which gains new authority to set hunting rules. Key provisions include standardized time limits for Sunday hunting and eliminating outdated prohibitions, focusing on practical management of wildlife impacts.
