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.
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.
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 1081 creates a new Board of Directors for Baltimore Core Transit Service (encompassing local buses, light rail, Metro Subway, and paratransit in Baltimore) within the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA). The Board, composed of 9 voting members (including 5 governor-appointed members with specific rider, accessibility, and labor representation requirements, plus city/county appointees), must approve major service plans and policies for Baltimore transit. The bill repeals the existing Baltimore Regional Transit Commission, proposes a constitutional amendment to allow MTA to use land acquisition powers for projects, and exempts MTA capital construction from certain state procurement rules. It directly affects MTA operations in Baltimore and establishes new governance structures for regional transit services.
SB 947 establishes a new Board of Directors to govern Baltimore Core Transit Service (including local buses, light rail, subway, and paratransit) within the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA). It replaces the existing Baltimore Regional Transit Commission with this board, which includes five governor-appointed members (requiring representation from riders, accessibility users, transit providers, and union employees), plus mayoral and county executive appointees. The board will approve major service plans and policies for Baltimore transit operations, while the MTA must contract with the Baltimore Metropolitan Council to study creating a dedicated rail authority. This reform directly affects Baltimore-area transit users, MTA operations, and local government oversight of regional transit services.
This bill requires Maryland's State Highway Administration to approve, deny, or return speed monitoring system applications within 90 days. If the Administration fails to act within this timeframe, the application is automatically approved. It directly affects counties seeking to install speed monitoring systems on state highways within municipal areas, mandating they first obtain the Administration's approval and notify local municipalities. The bill also defines "speed monitoring systems" as devices capturing images of vehicles exceeding the speed limit by at least 12 mph. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.
SB 68 requires Maryland's Motor Vehicle Administration to add at least five motorcycle safety questions to the driver skills exam for all new or upgraded driver's licenses. These questions will cover specific topics like motorcycle visibility, proper lane positioning, safe following distances, and crash prevention around motorcycles. The bill directly affects every driver's license applicant in Maryland who takes the skills exam, including those seeking motorcycle licenses. It becomes effective on October 1, 2026, without altering existing vision or road test requirements.
HB 668 prohibits people from standing in roadways, shoulders, median dividers, or intersections in St. Mary’s County that are officially designated as "inherently dangerous" (meaning they pose a serious, unmitigable injury risk to pedestrians or drivers). It specifically requires county or municipal authorities to identify such locations and install required warning signs meeting state traffic control standards before police can issue citations for violations. The law takes effect October 1, 2026, and applies only to St. Mary’s County. It does not create new penalties but limits enforcement to areas with proper signage.
HB 593 amends Maryland's criminal law to specifically prohibit unauthorized actions intended to disrupt critical infrastructure or public safety answering points. It makes it a crime to intentionally access, copy data from, or possess access codes for systems like power grids, emergency call centers, or transportation networks with the intent to impair their function. The bill defines "critical infrastructure" as systems vital to public security, health, safety, or utilities, and explicitly includes ransomware attacks as a prohibited act. This law directly affects individuals who interfere with these essential systems, imposing criminal penalties for intentional disruption.
This bill amends existing state debt authorizations to update grant details for various community projects across Maryland. It directly affects multiple local organizations and municipalities that have received state funding for construction, renovation, and infrastructure improvements. The key provision allows the state to change grantee names, modify authorized project uses, and extend termination dates for several grants without requiring new legislation for each change. Specific projects include facilities for the National Road Museum, Harford Crisis Center, Imagination Stage, and various community centers, with funding amounts and deadlines being adjusted accordingly.
