Maryland Bills

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 6, 2025

HB 691: Tax Relief and State Personnel Equality for Service Members Act

HB 691, the Tax Relief and State Personnel Equality for Service Members Act, redefines "uniformed services" to include the Public Health Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), extending veteran benefits to their members who meet federal veteran criteria. The bill amends Maryland's tax, pension, and personnel laws to apply the same rules to all uniformed services - not just the armed forces - ensuring equal access to state benefits like tax relief and retirement programs. It specifically updates definitions in the Maryland Code to include these service members in state programs previously limited to military veterans. This directly affects service members in non-military uniformed services and state agencies administering veteran benefits.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Veterans

signed · Maryland · Senate May 6, 2025

SB 257: Election Law - Notice to Permanent Absentee Voters

SB 257 changes how Maryland's State Board of Elections notifies voters on the permanent absentee ballot list before elections. It requires sending a notice 120 days before an election (replacing the previous date-based requirement), confirming the voter's status, address, ballot delivery method, and reminding them to update contact information if it changes. The notice must include a statement for voters to return it if they no longer live at the address. If the chosen contact method (mail, email, or text) fails, the Board must attempt to contact the voter using another method on file. This affects all Maryland voters who have chosen permanent absentee voting.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 6, 2025

HB 541: Department of Commerce - Nonprofit Organizations Navigator - Established

HB 541 establishes a Nonprofit Organizations Navigator within Maryland's Department of Commerce to directly assist nonprofits in accessing state grant programs. The navigator provides technical help with grant applications, resolves bureaucratic delays, shares federal/state grant opportunities, and represents nonprofits on the Maryland Efficient Grant Application Council. This bill amends the council's structure to include the navigator as a nonvoting member and updates membership rules for the council.

signed · Maryland · Senate May 6, 2025

SB 633: Campaign Finance - Political Organizations - Disclosures on Solicitations (Stop Scam PACs Act)

SB 633, the "Stop Scam PACs Act," requires political organizations that solicit funds to include specific disclaimers on all fundraising requests. It mandates that if a solicitation uses a candidate’s name, image, or likeness without permission, it must state: "This use is not authorized by the candidate." For solicitations appearing charitable, it requires a clear notice that donations are "not necessarily for charitable purposes" and "not tax-deductible." The State Administrator of Elections can investigate violations and impose civil penalties up to $10,000 for noncompliance. This law directly affects political organizations soliciting contributions, aiming to prevent misleading fundraising practices.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 6, 2025

HB 455: Braille Flag Memorial Act of 2025

HB 455 requires Maryland's Department of Veterans and Military Families to place American braille tactile flags in one or more state veterans' cemeteries. These flags, designed by the Kansas Braille Transcription Institute, allow blind and visually impaired visitors to experience the American flag through touch. The bill directly affects blind veterans and visually impaired individuals who visit Maryland's five state veterans' cemeteries. It amends state law to mandate the department designate specific locations for these tactile flags as a memorial feature.

Topics ✓ Veterans

signed · Maryland · Senate May 6, 2025

SB 280: Judicial and Public Safety for Service Members Act

SB 280, the *Judicial and Public Safety for Service Members Act*, updates Maryland law to ensure legal protections apply consistently to all uniformed service members (not just veterans) in judicial, criminal, family, and public safety matters. It revises definitions in key laws to replace "veteran" with "uniformed services" and expands the application of court procedures, corrections policies, criminal laws, family law, and public safety regulations to cover active-duty and reserve service members. The bill adds new provisions (e.g., in family law and public safety sections) to address service-related circumstances, such as deployment impacts on custody or safety protocols. This directly affects service members navigating Maryland’s legal system during active duty or in related legal proceedings.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

signed · Maryland · Senate May 6, 2025

SB 148: State Board of Public Accountancy - Emeritus Status

SB 148 creates "emeritus status" for Maryland Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) who meet specific retirement criteria. It allows the State Board of Public Accountancy to place qualified licensees on emeritus status if they have at least 20 years of practice and are 60+ years old (or 40+ years total experience), are retired, and agree not to practice. Licensees on emeritus status are exempt from continuing education requirements and renewal fees, but cannot practice, sign financial documents, or represent themselves as active CPAs. The bill amends Maryland's business law to formalize this status and outlines the process for both initial placement and reinstatement to active licensure.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 6, 2025

HB 463: Vehicle Laws - Motor Vehicle Administration - 3-Hour Roadway Safety Driving Education Program - Requirements

HB 463 requires Maryland's Motor Vehicle Administration to create a mandatory 3-hour Roadway Safety Driving Education Program for new driver's license applicants who have never held a license before but qualify for a license without a learner's permit. The program replaces previous alcohol-focused education and covers topics like impaired driving hazards, legal consequences, and the effects of drugs/alcohol on driving. It must be offered in cooperation with the Behavioral Health Administration and integrated into standard driver education courses. This applies specifically to first-time license applicants meeting the criteria in Section 16-105(f)(3) of Maryland law.

Topics ✓ Transportation

signed · Maryland · Senate May 6, 2025

SB 597: Higher Education - Maryland Graduate and Professional Scholarship Program - Eligible Institutions

SB 597 expands Maryland's Graduate and Professional Scholarship Program to include The Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine as an eligible institution. This change allows students enrolled at The Meritus School to apply for the scholarship, which provides financial aid for graduate studies in fields like medicine, law, nursing, and pharmacy. The bill does not alter existing requirements (such as Maryland residency, financial need, or scholarship amounts of $1,000-$5,000 per year) but adds The Meritus School to the official list of qualifying institutions. The change takes effect July 1, 2025, and directly affects students at The Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Healthcare

signed · Maryland · Senate May 6, 2025

SB 275: Modernization of Military Laws Act

SB 275, the Modernization of Military Laws Act, updates Maryland's legal definitions and processes affecting veterans, active service members, and military families. It standardizes key terms like "uniformed services" and "veteran" across state laws, expands the veteran definition to include certain health service members, and requires the Secretary of Veterans and Military Families to create policies supporting military life transitions. The bill modifies election rules to simplify candidacy filings for service members unable to file in person, adjusts cemetery and housing discrimination protections, and updates state government procedures to better serve military-connected individuals. These changes aim to streamline access to rights and benefits for military personnel and veterans within Maryland's legal framework.

Topics ✓ Veterans

signed · Maryland · Senate May 6, 2025

SB 923: Public Schools - High School Sports Officials - Payment and Fees

This bill requires Maryland public school systems to issue simultaneous bids for boys' and girls' high school sports officiating services for "similar" sports (defined as those with comparable rules, season, official count, and competition time). It prohibits schools from awarding contracts where officials for girls' sports receive different pay rates or fees than those for boys' sports in comparable events. The law applies to new procurement contracts starting July 1, 2025, with existing contracts allowed to be extended until 2029. It directly affects all local school systems purchasing officiating services for high school athletic events.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 6, 2025

HB 477: State Department of Education - Family Child Care Homes and Child Care Centers - Regulatory Analysis

HB 477 revises Maryland's child care regulations for family child care homes and centers, primarily changing adult-to-child ratios and maximum group sizes. It increases the allowable number of children under age 2 in family child care homes from 4 to 5 and updates ratios to require 1 adult for every 4 infants (under 1 year) and 1 adult for every 5 toddlers (1-2 years). These changes apply directly to licensed child care providers operating family child care homes and centers statewide. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, and also clarifies probationary teacher qualifications for child care centers.

Bill results