HB 220 requires apartment buildings with multiple units to install individual water meters for each dwelling unit, replacing bulk meters. It prohibits landlords from charging tenants for leaks they caused, common-area usage, or maintenance costs, and mandates that charges reflect actual water use. Tenants gain the right to inspect leak detection monitors and review billing records, while unpaid water bills cannot be used to evict tenants for nonpayment. The bill also establishes a complaint process for tenants to address billing disputes with local housing authorities or consumer protection offices.
HB 254 creates a new Resilience Through Restoration Capital Grant Fund within Maryland's Department of Natural Resources to provide grants for nature-based projects that reduce climate vulnerabilities and strengthen community resilience. The fund supports state agencies, local governments, and nonprofits in planning, designing, and implementing projects like wetland restoration, green infrastructure, and shoreline protection. The bill requires the Department to develop community participation guidelines, a public website with planning tools, and training by October 2027, while mandating that funded projects incorporate community input and dedicate at least 3% of funds to adaptive management. All interest earnings from the fund must be reinvested, and grants must specifically address climate hazards like flooding and sea-level rise.
Maryland's SB 197 updates land use planning requirements for charter counties and local jurisdictions by adding eight mandatory elements to comprehensive and general plans, including new Resilience, Equity, Place, and Ecology elements. The bill requires counties to address specific subelements within each plan section, such as economic development strategies, community facilities, and historic resource protection, while mandating state agencies like the Department of Planning to provide data and guidelines. It replaces outdated sections with streamlined language, clarifies how counties can structure their plans (e.g., as individual chapters or grouped sections), and removes obsolete requirements like "mineral resources" and "water resources" elements. This bill directly affects local governments developing land use plans, ensuring they incorporate updated environmental, social, and economic priorities.
HB 243 modifies Maryland's requirements for local governments' comprehensive and general plans. It adds new mandatory elements like Resilience, Place, and Ecology while replacing older terms (e.g., "Water Resources" becomes "Equity"). The bill requires charter counties and other local jurisdictions to include these updated elements in their plans, detailing goals for economic, social, and environmental development. State agencies must also provide data and guidance to help local governments meet these new standards. This affects how local governments structure long-term planning for land use, housing, transportation, and community facilities.
HB 734 extends the deadline for community solar energy systems to qualify for agricultural property tax assessment from 2025 to December 31, 2030. It applies to systems placed in service after June 30, 2022, and approved by the Public Service Commission by the new deadline. The bill ensures land used for qualifying community solar projects is assessed as actively farmed agricultural land, allowing property owners to receive lower tax rates. This directly affects landowners operating community solar systems that meet these criteria.
SB 841 changes how Maryland uses fees paid by utilities to fund renewable energy projects. Instead of direct grants, it requires the Maryland Energy Administration to run annual competitive auctions where developers bid to build renewable energy projects. The bill sets specific targets for project capacity, deadlines for completion, and eligibility rules for bidders, including prioritizing projects benefiting low-income or overburdened communities. It redirects existing compliance fees - previously used for solar grants - into this auction system to accelerate renewable energy development.
HB 146 requires landlords of properties with on-site wastewater systems (like septic systems) to ensure the system is inspected and pumped by a licensed professional before each new tenant moves in, starting July 1, 2028. It also mandates that real estate sales contracts for such properties include a condition requiring the buyer to confirm the system has been inspected and pumped by a licensed professional before closing. The law allows inspections and pumping services to remain valid for three years and requires property owners to notify authorities if a system fails. Exemptions include transfers between family members, refinancing, or initial construction. The bill sets deadlines for the state to adopt regulations (by 2027) and license service providers (by 2028).
This bill requires landlords and property sellers in Maryland to ensure septic systems are inspected and pumped by licensed professionals before new tenants move in or property is sold. Landlords must comply by July 1, 2028, and inspections/pumping are valid for three years. Home sellers must include this requirement in real estate contracts starting July 1, 2028, with settlement delayed until proof of inspection and pumping is provided. Exceptions apply for transfers between family members, refinancing, or initial construction. Property owners must also report failing systems to local health departments and confirm repairs.
This bill creates Maryland's GREEN Loan Program, providing no-interest loans to 501(c)(3) nonprofits for solar panels, energy-efficient building upgrades (like new windows or HVAC systems), and related planning. Nonprofits must contribute 10% of project costs, with priority given to those with annual budgets under $1 million. The program is funded through state budget appropriations and transfers from the Strategic Energy Investment Fund, managed by the Maryland Clean Energy Center. Loans require repayment over time with deferred payment options, and must demonstrate long-term energy cost savings exceeding the loan's total cost.
