HB 1335 Maryland House of Delegates · 2026 Regular Session

Department of Information Technology - Information Technology Staffing and Capability Assessment - Independent Study

HB 1335 requires Maryland's Department of Information Technology to hire an outside expert to conduct a study on state IT and cybersecurity workforce compensation. The study must compare salaries of state IT professionals with federal, local, and private-sector roles, evaluate the impact of current pay adjustments and benefits, and provide recommendations to improve recruitment and retention. The department must submit the findings to the Governor and legislature by November 1, 2027, and the law expires automatically on June 30, 2028. This bill does not change pay rates but mandates research to inform future decisions affecting state IT and cybersecurity staff.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Apr 2026

House of Delegates Passage

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

Apr 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Feb 12, 2026 Signed May 31, 2026

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What changed between versions

First - Department of Information Technology - Recruitment, Retention, and Compensation of Information Technology and Cybersecurity Professionals - Independent Study → Third - Department of Information Technology - Information Technology Staffing and Capability Assessment - Independent Study · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was advanced to its third reading and amended to broaden the scope of the required independent study. The changes shift the focus from solely analyzing compensation to also assessing staffing needs, capability gaps, and legacy system modernization. This ensures the study provides a comprehensive view of the IT workforce's ability to support state missions, not just its pay.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from a narrow focus on recruitment and compensation to include a broader assessment of staffing levels, technical capabilities, and system modernization needs.

REQUIREMENT

The independent study requirements were expanded to include an inventory of existing positions, an evaluation of each department's IT environment (including cybersecurity risks and legacy systems), and an analysis of capability gaps between current staff and mission needs.

The study's purpose was updated to explicitly include 'staffing, capability assessment, and workforce alignment' alongside recruitment and compensation.

New requirements were added to evaluate each principal department's specific IT environment, including system sizes, cybersecurity risk profiles, and modernization requirements.

The study must now provide recommendations for aligning IT staffing models with specific departmental operational needs and the statewide IT master plan.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 27, 2026 · House of Delegates Mar 10, 2026

How they voted

44–1

Passed · 4 other

Total votes 49

Mar 27, 2026

D Democratic36

33 Yea 3

91% Yea

R Republican13

11 Yea 1 Nay 1

84% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 13, 2026

Lower · Passed

Returned Passed

lower

Apr 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

Third Reading Passed

upper

Apr 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

Favorable Adopted

upper

Apr 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

Favorable Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment

upper

Mar 27, 2026

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (44-1-4)

senate

Mar 23, 2026

Committee

Referred Education, Energy, and the Environment

upper

Mar 23, 2026

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed

lower

Mar 21, 2026

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

lower

Mar 21, 2026

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Government, Labor, and Elections

lower

Mar 10, 2026

House Of Delegates · Passed

House of Delegates Vote: pass (129-8-5)

house of delegates

Feb 12, 2026

Committee

First Reading Government, Labor, and Elections

lower

6 primary · 0 co-sponsors