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SB 94 Maryland Senate · 2026 Regular Session

Commercial Law - Earned Wage Access - Revisions

SB 94 prohibits earned wage access providers in Maryland from accepting tips, offering tip options, or suggesting tips influence loan terms. It requires providers to clearly disclose that tips don’t affect services and must offer at least one no-cost earned wage access option. The bill also mandates providers return any tips that would make loan rates exceed legal limits within 7 days. These changes directly affect consumers using earned wage access services and the providers offering them.
Issues: ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill protects workers from EWA provider exploitation by banning tip-related practices, mandating disclosure, and requiring no-cost options. Directly advances worker financial rights in wage access.95% confidence
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Sep 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2026
Senate Passage
Apr 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Apr 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Sep 30, 2025 Signed Apr 28, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

First - Commercial Law - Earned Wage Access - Revisions → Third - Commercial Law - Earned Wage Access - Revisions · 3 edits
MINOR
The bill was renumbered and reorganized to renumber an existing section and repeal/reenact others with amendments. The most significant substantive change is the addition of a new section requiring earned wage access providers to offer at least one no-cost option to consumers whenever a fee or optional tip is offered, alongside existing requirements to disclose fees and rights.
Scope change
The bill's scope remains focused on Commercial Law and earned wage access, but the applicability of the no-cost option requirement is now explicitly triggered whenever a provider offers services for a fee or solicits a tip, gratuity, or donation.
REQUIREMENT

Added a mandatory requirement for earned wage access providers to offer at least one reasonable no-cost option to consumers whenever they offer services for a fee or solicit an optional tip, gratuity, or donation.

TECHNICAL

Renumbered Section 12-1507 to Section 12-1510 and repealed/re-enacted Sections 12-128, 12-318, and 12-1502 through 12-1504 with minor formatting and text adjustments.

Added a committee report noting the bill was adopted and read a second time on March 1, 2026.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 3, 2026 · House of Delegates Apr 2, 2026

How they voted

34–13
Passed · 2 other
Total votes 49
Mar 3, 2026
D Democratic36
34 Yea 2
94% Yea
R Republican13
13 Nay
100% Nay
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
16
Key actions
10
Committee
6
Apr 28, 2026
Signed into law
Approved by the Governor - Chapter 170
executive
Apr 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
Returned Passed
upper
Apr 13, 2026
Lower · Passed
Third Reading Passed
lower
Apr 11, 2026
Lower · Passed
Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed
lower
Apr 11, 2026
Lower · Passed
Favorable Report by Economic Matters
lower
Apr 2, 2026
House Of Delegates · Passed
House of Delegates Vote: pass (101-36-5)
house of delegates
Mar 20, 2026
Committee
Referred Economic Matters
lower
Mar 19, 2026
Upper · Passed
Third Reading Passed
upper
Mar 17, 2026
Upper · Passed
Favorable with Amendments {
upper
Mar 16, 2026
Upper · Passed
Favorable with Amendments Report by Finance
upper
Mar 3, 2026
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (34-13-2)
senate
Jan 14, 2026
Committee
First Reading Finance
upper
Sep 30, 2025
Introduced
Pre-filed
upper
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.