SB 377 expands Maryland's Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for low-income residents without qualifying children by raising the income level at which the credit begins to phase out. It directly affects eligible Maryland workers earning below the new, higher income thresholds who previously lost credit benefits too quickly. The bill establishes annual inflation adjustments starting in 2026 to keep the credit's value current, calculated using the federal cost-of-living adjustment formula. This change ensures the credit remains accessible for more low-income workers without children as living costs rise.
SB 6 would extend collective bargaining rights to nontenure track faculty at Maryland's public universities, including the University System of Maryland, Morgan State University, and St. Mary’s College of Maryland. The bill creates a separate bargaining unit for these faculty members - defined as full-time, part-time, or adjunct employees with academic responsibilities like teaching or research - removing them from the previous exclusion under "faculty" in collective bargaining rules. It amends state law to require each institution to establish this distinct unit alongside other employee groups, ensuring nontenure track faculty can negotiate wages, hours, and working conditions. The law would take effect on July 1, 2026.
SB 90 adds hypertension to Maryland's list of occupational diseases presumed to be work-related for specific emergency responders. It makes firefighters, fire fighting instructors, rescue squad members, advanced life support unit members, and State Fire Marshal personnel eligible for workers' compensation benefits if they have hypertension diagnosed by a provider, experience it for at least 90 consecutive days, have at least 2 years of cumulative service in those roles, and are currently employed in those positions. This creates a legal presumption that the hypertension is work-related, eliminating the need to prove direct causation, while clarifying that individuals cannot receive both workers' compensation and disability retirement benefits for the same hypertension condition. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.
HB 127 requires Baltimore County to create a property tax credit for county residents who are public safety officers (like police and firefighters) or Baltimore County public school employees. The credit would reduce the county property tax on their primary residence, with the county government determining the exact amount, duration, and application process. This bill directly affects those specific public employees by lowering their local tax burden, but the county must establish the program through its own local law. The credit would apply to taxable years beginning after June 30, 2026.
HB 142 sets clear limits on how much of an obligor’s wages can be withheld for child support, directly affecting parents who owe support and their employers. It specifies that withholdings cannot exceed a certain percentage of disposable earnings when an obligor’s income is below 250% of the federal poverty guidelines (unless deemed voluntarily impoverished). The bill requires employers to include these limits in withholding notices and allows obligors to contest excessive withholdings by citing the federal or state limits. It updates existing law to ensure transparency and provide a straightforward process for resolving disputes over withholding amounts.
HB 528 modifies Maryland's income tax code to expand a $15,000 tax subtraction for retirement income from public safety jobs. It specifically adds retired fire, rescue, and emergency services personnel who worked for the District of Columbia to the list of eligible individuals, previously limited to those employed in Maryland or federal roles. The change applies to residents aged 55 or older receiving retirement income attributable to these services, effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2025. This adjustment ensures DC-based public safety retirees working in these fields receive the same tax benefit as Maryland-based retirees.
HB 203 prohibits employers from requiring employees or job applicants to sign training repayment agreements as a condition of employment. It defines such agreements as contracts where workers must repay training costs if they leave their job, and declares these agreements void under Maryland law. Employees can file complaints with the labor commissioner or sue for damages, and employers violating the law face civil penalties up to $20,000 per violation. The bill directly affects workers in positions where employers might have previously demanded repayment of training costs, ensuring they cannot be forced to accept such terms.
SB 253 authorizes supervisory employees at Baltimore County Public Library to form unions, join collective bargaining efforts, and participate in related activities. It reclassifies certain supervisory staff as "management employees" if they exercise independent judgment (e.g., resolving grievances or making hiring decisions beyond routine tasks), rather than automatically excluding them from unionization. The bill establishes two fixed bargaining units: one for non-supervisory staff and one for supervisory staff, while preserving existing union agreements in place before June 30, 2026. This change directly affects library supervisors who may now engage in collective bargaining under specific conditions.
HB 347 adds hypertension to the list of occupational diseases presumed work-related for specific emergency responders in Maryland. It creates a legal presumption that firefighters, firefighting instructors, rescue squad members, advanced life support unit members, and State Fire Marshal staff with hypertension are entitled to workers' compensation benefits if they meet four conditions: diagnosed by a provider, prescribed hypertension medication for 90+ consecutive days, completed 2+ years of cumulative service in the state, and are currently employed in that role. This bill modifies Maryland’s workers’ compensation law (specifically Sections 9-502 and 9-503) to expand eligibility for these occupations without requiring separate proof that hypertension resulted from their job duties. It directly affects these emergency personnel seeking compensation for hypertension-related disability or death.
SB 3 modernizes Maryland's unemployment insurance system by changing how weekly benefit amounts and employer contributions are calculated. It sets the maximum weekly benefit at 40% of the state's average weekly wage (up from fixed amounts) and bases employer taxable wages on 16% of the state's average annual wage, both updated annually. This directly affects unemployed workers (through revised benefit calculations) and employers (through adjusted contribution rates). The Maryland Department of Labor must publish the state average wage data online by January 31 each year to implement these changes.
