HB 299 Maryland House of Delegates · 2026 Regular Session

Fraud Prevention, Prevailing Wage, and Living Wage - Prohibitions, Penalties, and Enforcement

HB 299 prohibits employers from knowingly creating or using false records or statements that cause underpayment of unemployment insurance contributions or overpayment of benefits exceeding $15,000 annually. It requires civil penalties from fraud violations to be deposited into the Unemployment Insurance Fund and mandates the Labor Commissioner and Attorney General to enforce wage laws, including prevailing wage and living wage requirements. The bill also authorizes license revocation for workplace fraud violations and strengthens coordination between state agencies investigating fraud. This primarily affects employers, contractors, and licensed businesses subject to wage and unemployment insurance laws in Maryland.
Bill status failed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Sep 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Apr 2026
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Sep 16, 2025 Last action Apr 13, 2026
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What changed between versions

First - Fraud Prevention, Prevailing Wage, and Living Wage - Prohibitions, Penalties, and Enforcement Third - Fraud Prevention, Prevailing Wage, and Living Wage - Prohibitions, Penalties, and Enforcement · 3 edits
MINOR
The bill was updated to reflect its passage through the House, adding committee reports and action dates. Substantively, the bill's scope was expanded to include a new requirement for subcontractors to indemnify general contractors for unpaid wages and related penalties, while the specific list of statutes being modified was reorganized to include new sections in the General Provisions and Labor and Employment articles.
Scope change
The bill now explicitly requires subcontractors to indemnify general contractors for certain wage violations, damages, interest, and penalties, with specific exceptions. The list of repealed and reenacted statutes was reorganized, moving some provisions from the State Finance and Procurement article to the Labor and Employment article.
REQUIREMENT

Added a new requirement for subcontractors to indemnify general contractors for unpaid wages, damages, interest, and penalties, except under specific circumstances.

SCOPE

Reorganized the list of statutes to be repealed and reenacted, shifting focus from the State Finance and Procurement article to the Labor and Employment article for certain sections.

TECHNICAL

Added procedural details regarding the bill's committee report status and House adoption dates.

Floor votes · House of Delegates Mar 19, 2026

How they voted

9936
Passed · 7 other
Total votes 142
Mar 19, 2026
D Democratic103
98 Yea 1 Nay 4
95% Yea
R Republican39
1 Yea 35 Nay 3
89% Nay
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
19
Key actions
9
Committee
9
Amendments
2
Apr 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
Favorable with Amendments Adopted
upper
Apr 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
Committee Amendment {
upper
Apr 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
Favorable with Amendments {
upper
Apr 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
Favorable with Amendments Report by Finance
upper
Apr 13, 2026
Committee
Rereferred to Finance
upper
Apr 7, 2026
Committee
Referred Rules
upper
Apr 6, 2026
Lower · Passed
Third Reading Passed
lower
Apr 3, 2026
Introduced
Floor Amendment {
lower
Apr 2, 2026
Lower · Passed
Motion Special Order until 04/03 (Delegate Pippy) Adopted
lower
Apr 2, 2026
Introduced
Floor Amendment {
lower
Apr 2, 2026
Lower · Passed
Favorable with Amendments {
lower
Apr 2, 2026
Lower · Passed
Favorable with Amendments Report by Government, Labor, and Elections
lower
Mar 19, 2026
House Of Delegates · Passed
House of Delegates Vote: pass (99-36-7)
house of delegates
Jan 14, 2026
Committee
First Reading Government, Labor, and Elections
lower
Sep 16, 2025
Introduced
Pre-filed
lower
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.