Maryland Bills

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 6, 2025

HB 1459: Economic Development - Western Maryland Economic Future Investment Board and Senator George C. Edwards Fund - Alterations

HB 1459 alters the composition of Maryland's Western Maryland Economic Future Investment Board and updates the Senator George C. Edwards Fund. The bill adds two new nonvoting members (one from each legislative district, appointed by House/Senate leaders) and clarifies that the Executive Director serves as a nonvoting member who can break ties. It also updates the Fund's purpose to explicitly prioritize "creating jobs and significant economic development opportunities" and extends the requirement for the Governor to include a $10 million annual appropriation for the Fund through fiscal year 2031. These changes directly affect Western Maryland counties and local entities seeking grant or loan funding for economic development projects through the Fund.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 6, 2025

HB 793: University System of Maryland - Academic Facilities Bonding Authority

HB 793 authorizes the University System of Maryland to issue $30 million in bonds ($5 million for University of Maryland, College Park's campus building systems project and $25 million for systemwide academic facility renewals across all institutions). The bonds will finance construction, improvements, and refinancing of academic facilities but are explicitly stated not to create state debt or obligation. This bill directly affects all University System of Maryland institutions by providing funding for campus infrastructure upgrades. The financing mechanism is limited to specific approved projects and does not pledge the state's credit or require state repayment.

Topics ✓ Education

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 6, 2025

HB 1162: Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning, or Refrigeration Contractors - Equipment Sales

HB 1162 prohibits sellers of heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, or refrigeration equipment from knowingly selling to unlicensed purchasers, except for specific exemptions (like homeowners doing their own work or licensed utility employees). Sellers with $100,000+ annual revenue must collect the purchaser’s license number at sale or provide a written notice explaining licensing requirements. They must also submit an annual report to the Board listing all purchasers’ names and license numbers. This law directly affects equipment sellers and unlicensed buyers, while exempting certain groups covered under existing exemptions in Section 9A-103. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 6, 2025

HB 1475: Maryland State Department of Education - Publicly Funded Prekindergarten - Analysis and Report (Mixed Delivery Model Viability Act)

HB 1475 (Mixed Delivery Model Viability Act) requires Maryland's Office of Child Care Advisory Council to study the state's publicly funded prekindergarten system, which serves children through a mix of public and private providers. The analysis will assess policy differences between public/private providers, reimbursement methods, administrative processes, language accessibility, quality rating procedures, and opportunities for resource-sharing among private providers. The Council must submit an interim report by June 1, 2026, and a final report by December 31, 2027, to the State Board of Education and General Assembly. This bill does not change current law but directs a review to identify potential improvements in program efficiency and equity for providers and families.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 6, 2025

HB 337: State Lottery Fund - Laurel Race Course - Local Impact Aid

HB 337 requires the Comptroller to distribute $500,000 annually from Maryland's Racetrax lottery game proceeds to Anne Arundel County, Howard County, and the City of Laurel. This funding is tied to Laurel Race Course's operations and must be used for community services like health care, addiction support, counseling, and transportation for residents near the racetrack or backstretch workers. Payments stop if Laurel Race Course ceases live racing or if backstretch workers no longer live on the property. Anne Arundel County must allocate its share to nonprofits serving backstretch workers, including those providing Spanish-language services.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 6, 2025

HB 478: Hagerstown Community College Police Force - Jurisdiction

HB 478 clarifies the jurisdiction of Hagerstown Community College (HCC) Police Officers in Washington County. It authorizes HCC officers to exercise standard police powers (like making arrests) on college-owned property and, under three specific circumstances, on public roads within Washington County: during a fresh pursuit of a suspect, to manage traffic flow to/from campus, or if ordered by the Governor. The bill also requires HCC's Board of Trustees to adopt police officer standards similar to Maryland State Police requirements and to create operational regulations for the force. Crucially, it explicitly states the HCC Police Force does not replace or limit the authority of Washington County Sheriff's Office or other law enforcement agencies. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 22, 2025

SB 894: Office of Social Equity - Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund - Modifications

SB 894 shifts administration of Maryland's Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund from the Comptroller to the Office of Social Equity. It removes requirements for the Office to report annually on fund allocations and solicit public input, while adding new duties like overseeing fund distribution, training recipients, and requiring counties to create plans for distributing funds to community-based organizations. The bill establishes a Community Reinvestment and Repair Advisory Board and limits administrative costs for managing the fund. These changes directly affect counties, community organizations receiving funds, and the Office of Social Equity, streamlining oversight without altering the fund's core purpose.

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 22, 2025

SB 302: Maryland Small Business Innovation Research and Technology Transfer Incentive Program - Alterations

SB 302 removes fixed dollar limits for Maryland's Small Business Innovation Research and Technology Transfer Incentive Program, which provides matching funds to small businesses receiving federal SBIR/STTR grants. Specifically, it repeals current caps of $25,000 for Phase I awards and $75,000 for Phase II awards. Instead, the program will now allow the Board to approve exceptions for larger awards if deemed necessary to serve community needs. The bill maintains existing annual limits (20 Phase I awards, 10 Phase II awards) and lifetime caps (three total awards per business), but eliminates the previous dollar-based restrictions.

Topics ✓ Technology

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 22, 2025

SB 43: Maryland Department of Health - Forensic Review Board - Established

SB 43 requires Maryland's Department of Health to establish a Forensic Review Board at every facility housing individuals committed as not criminally responsible for crimes due to mental illness. The board, composed of licensed health care providers, must review each person's case annually to determine eligibility for release and recommend discharge or conditional release to the court. The board's written findings and recommendations become part of the individual's medical record. Additionally, the bill creates a Community Forensic Aftercare Program to monitor individuals released on conditional terms.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Healthcare

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 22, 2025

SB 271: Maryland Tort Claims Act - Employees of an Office of a Sheriff

SB 271 amends Maryland law to explicitly include employees of a sheriff's office (in counties or Baltimore City) under the definition of "State personnel" for immunity purposes under the Maryland Tort Claims Act. This means sheriff's office employees - such as administrative staff or support personnel - will now have the same legal protection from tort liability as sheriffs and deputy sheriffs when acting within their official duties, without malice or gross negligence. The bill achieves this by revising two sections of the Maryland Code: updating Section 5-522(b) to clarify immunity scope and amending Section 12-101(a)(6) to add "an employee of the office of a sheriff" to the definition of "State personnel." The change takes effect October 1, 2025, and directly affects all sheriff's offices across Maryland.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 22, 2025

SB 239: State Finance and Procurement - Local Cybersecurity Preparedness and Response Plan and Assessment - Repeal

SB 239 repeals Section 3.5-405 of Maryland’s Annotated Code, which required county governments, local school systems, and local health departments to create or update cybersecurity preparedness plans and complete assessments. The bill removes this duplicative requirement, as stated in the bill’s purpose, and renumbers subsequent sections (3.5-406 and 3.5-407) to 3.5-405 and 3.5-406. This change takes effect July 1, 2025, and directly affects the specified local government entities by eliminating a mandatory planning and assessment obligation. The bill does not create new requirements but streamlines existing law.

Topics ✗ Technology

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 22, 2025

SB 152: Criminal Law - Crimes Relating to Animals - Conviction and Sentencing

SB 152 modifies Maryland's animal cruelty laws to clarify exemptions and sentencing rules. It exempts routine veterinary practices (like dehorning), federally compliant research, and activities such as hunting or food processing when conducted humanely. The bill also establishes that each animal harmed in a cruelty violation counts as a separate offense for sentencing, and convictions cannot merge with other charges from the same act, allowing for consecutive sentences. This directly affects farmers, veterinarians, researchers, hunters, and individuals convicted of animal cruelty.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill results