Labor & Employment

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 14, 2026

SB 74: Public Safety - Police Employees and Deputy State Fire Marshals - Repeal of Pay Rate Restriction on Promotion

SB 74 would remove a rule that sometimes required promoted police officers and deputy state fire marshals to accept a lower pay step than their previous position if others in the new rank had equal or more seniority. Currently, if a promoted employee’s prior step was higher than peers with equal or greater experience in the new rank, they were automatically placed in a lower step. The bill repeals this restriction, ensuring promoted employees retain their previous step’s pay rate upon advancement. This change applies to all future promotions starting July 1, 2026, directly affecting Maryland police and fire marshal personnel.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill repeals pay step restriction, ensuring promoted police/fire marshals retain prior pay rate, protecting wage rights upon promotion.95% confidence

in committee · Maryland · Senate Jan 23, 2026

SB 315: Criminal Procedure - Expungement - Adverse Actions and Removal From Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) System

SB 315 clarifies that individuals with expunged criminal charges cannot be denied employment, education, or government services solely because they refuse to disclose those expunged charges. The bill specifically prohibits the Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) system from referencing certain cannabis possession cases (where it was the only charge and disposed before July 1, 2023) and requires the Department of Public Safety to remove all references to these cases from MDEC by July 1, 2024. It also prohibits employers, educational institutions, and state agencies from using expunged cannabis charges as the sole basis for adverse actions. The law applies directly to people with expunged cannabis cases meeting the specified criteria. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeClarifies expungement rights to prevent employment/education denial and removes cannabis cases from court records, advancing criminal justice reform by reducing barriers for individuals with expunged records.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentPrevents employment discrimination based on expunged criminal records, protecting workers' rights to fair hiring practices by prohibiting denial of jobs over sealed cases.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy

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in committee · Maryland · Senate Jan 21, 2026

SB 156: Railroads - Required Crew for Movement of Freight

SB 156 requires that any freight train operating in Maryland on shared rail corridors with passenger trains must have at least two crew members. It directly affects railroad companies operating freight services, excluding light rail systems, rapid transit, and specific yard/utility operations. The bill takes effect only if neighboring states (New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia) enact similar laws by October 1, 2056, with implementation set for October 1, 2026, if the condition is met. Violations could result in civil penalties up to $25,000 for the railroad company. The law aims to establish minimum crew requirements for freight train safety under Maryland’s transportation regulations.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates two crew members for freight trains on shared corridors, directly enhancing workplace safety for railroad workers per Labor & Employment standards.90% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationRequires two crew members for freight trains on shared corridors with passenger trains, directly enhancing rail safety standards in transportation infrastructure.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Freight Public Transit Rail

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signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 14, 2026

HB 242: Unemployment Insurance - Confidentiality of Information

HB 242 updates Maryland's unemployment insurance confidentiality rules to align with federal requirements. It clarifies that personal details like benefit amounts, home addresses, and work refusal history (covered under federal income verification rules) are confidential, directly affecting claimants and the Maryland Department of Labor. The bill establishes specific exceptions allowing child support enforcement units to access certain claim information under federal guidelines, while adding penalties for unauthorized disclosure by department employees. These changes ensure compliance with federal regulations without altering benefit eligibility or payment processes.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentClarifies confidentiality of personal unemployment details (benefit amounts, addresses), protecting claimants' privacy and aligning with federal standards, advancing worker rights protection.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Unemployment

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HB 106: State Personnel - Collective Bargaining - Nontenure Track Faculty

HB 106 grants collective bargaining rights to nontenure track faculty at Maryland's public higher education institutions, specifically at the University System of Maryland, Morgan State University, and St. Mary’s College of Maryland. It creates a separate bargaining unit for these faculty members - including full-time, part-time, and adjunct employees with academic responsibilities like teachers and researchers - who were previously excluded from collective bargaining under state law. The bill amends existing statutes to explicitly include nontenure track faculty in bargaining units, allowing them to negotiate wages, hours, and working conditions through union representation. This change takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationGrants collective bargaining rights to nontenure track faculty at public higher education institutions, strengthening educator representation and working conditions.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentGrants collective bargaining rights to excluded nontenure faculty, directly advancing workers' rights in labor negotiations per bill's explicit purpose.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Collective Bargaining

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signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 28: Arbitration Reform for State Employees Act of 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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesMandates budget bills include funds for employee agreements (MOUs), ensuring fiscal implementation of bargaining outcomes and supporting public sector funding.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates neutral arbitration for collective bargaining impasses and requires budget funding for implemented agreements, strengthening worker negotiation rights and protections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Public Employees

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 9, 2026

HB 69: Labor and Employment - Exemptions From Overtime Pay - Administrative, Executive, or Professional Capacity

HB 69 updates Maryland's overtime pay exemption rules for administrative, executive, and professional workers by setting new minimum weekly salary thresholds. It requires these employees to earn at least $769.23 per week (starting July 2027), with incremental increases through 2031, to qualify for overtime exemption. The bill maintains existing federal standards for job duties (like management responsibilities or specialized work) but adjusts the salary minimums to align with state-specific requirements. This directly affects salaried professionals, managers, and executives who earn below these thresholds and would now be eligible for overtime pay.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRaises overtime exemption salary threshold, requiring employers to pay overtime to more workers, strengthening wage protections for administrative/executive/professional staff.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

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in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Jan 19, 2026

HB 317: Recipients of Economic Development Assistance or State Contracts - Certification of Compliance With State Labor Laws

HB 317 requires businesses or organizations receiving $100,000+ in state economic development assistance or $250,000+ in state contracts to annually certify compliance with Maryland labor laws. This certification, due by July 1 each year starting in 2027, confirms they weren’t subject to final labor violations in the prior year and aren’t currently failing to meet labor judgments. If they fail to certify, the administering agency must pause new disbursements or contract renewals for 30 days, with the pause lifting once certification is filed or after 12 months if compliance issues remain. The bill excludes minor violations (under $5,000 without willful misconduct) and clarifies it doesn’t create new audits or require reimbursement for past funds.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires contractors to certify labor law compliance, ensuring adherence to existing worker protections and preventing violations for state-funded projects.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Professional Licensing

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signed · Maryland · Senate May 31, 2026

SB 16: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits

SB 16 sets clear limits on how much an employer can withhold from a parent's wages for child support payments. It specifies that withholdings cannot exceed a certain percentage of disposable earnings, particularly for parents earning under 250% of the federal poverty guidelines. The bill requires employers to include these limits in withholding notices and allows parents to contest withholdings they believe exceed these limits. This affects low-income parents receiving child support orders and their employers, ensuring withholdings remain within legally defined boundaries.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill limits child support withholdings to protect low-income parents' disposable earnings, preventing excessive wage deductions that impact workers' take-home pay.92% confidence

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 9, 2026

HB 74: State Procurement - Security Services - Contract Modification

HB 74 requires state contracts for construction or security services exceeding $2 million over three years to include a clause allowing contract modifications when statutory changes increase required compensation or benefits (e.g., new minimum wage laws). This directly affects large contractors working with Maryland state agencies on these projects. The bill mandates that any modified contract must first receive approval from the Chief Procurement Officer. It aims to ensure fair adjustments for cost increases driven by state-mandated changes, without requiring contractors to absorb unexpected expenses. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates contract modifications for statutory wage/benefit increases, ensuring workers receive adjusted compensation under new laws.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Minimum Wage

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