Department of Social and Economic Mobility - Workforce Opportunities Grant Program and Fund
HB 1070 establishes the Workforce Opportunities Grant Program and a dedicated Workforce Opportunities Grant Fund within Maryland's Department of Social and Economic Mobility. The program provides competitive grants to nonprofit organizations, local workforce boards, and employer-community partnerships to plan and host job fairs and workforce events connecting job seekers with employers across the state. The fund, which earns interest credited back to it, is a special nonlapsing account to support these grants. The bill modifies state finance and government codes to create this program and requires the Department to administer it, focusing on expanding job opportunities for residents.
Bill status
passed
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Feb 10, 2026
Last action Mar 23, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison
What changed between versions
First - Department of Social and Economic Mobility - Workforce Opportunities Grant Program and Fund
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Third - Department of Social and Economic Mobility - Workforce Opportunities Grant Program and Fund
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3 edits
MINOR
This bill was amended to add new sponsors (Delegates Smith, Ruth, and Wells) and include a committee report indicating favorable action with amendments. The bill's substantive content remains focused on establishing a Workforce Opportunities Grant Program within the Department of Social and Economic Mobility, with no major policy changes to the program's purpose, funding, or eligibility criteria.
TECHNICAL
Added new sponsors to the bill (Delegates Ruth and Wells) and included committee report status showing favorable action with amendments.
Reordered the bill's structure to repeal and reenact Section 9-4103 rather than adding new sections, though the substantive content of the workforce grant program sections remains the same.
Added formatting notes explaining that underlining indicates amendments and strike-through indicates deletions.
Floor votes · House of Delegates Mar 8, 2026
How they voted
98–34
Passed · 10 other
Total votes 142
Mar 8, 2026
D
Democratic103
92% Yea
R
Republican39
87% Nay
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
8
Key actions
4
Committee
4
Mar 23, 2026
Committee
Referred Finance
upper
Mar 20, 2026
Lower · Passed
Third Reading Passed
lower
Mar 19, 2026
Lower · Passed
Favorable with Amendments {
lower
Mar 19, 2026
Lower · Passed
Favorable with Amendments Report by Government, Labor, and Elections
lower
Mar 8, 2026
House Of Delegates · Passed
House of Delegates Vote: pass (98-34-10)
house of delegates
Feb 10, 2026
Committee
First Reading Government, Labor, and Elections
lower
3 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Melissa Wells
DDemocratic
P
Sheila Ruth
DDemocratic
P
Stephanie Smith
DDemocratic
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