Maryland Bills

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 22, 2025

HB 513: Crimes Relating to Animals - Restrictions on Keeping Roosters

HB 513 limits rooster ownership in Maryland to no more than 5 roosters per acre or 25 total on a single property, starting January 1, 2027, unless authorized by the Department of Agriculture. It directly affects property owners keeping roosters, excluding commercial poultry farms, schools, animal shelters, and 4-H members who provide written authorization with specific details (like breed and location). Violations may result in misdemeanor fines up to $1,000, with enforcement handled by the Department of Agriculture in cooperation with local animal control. The bill aims to address concerns linked to cockfighting and Avian Flu spread, as noted in its preamble.

Dana Stein (D) Mary Lehman (D) Jeff Long (D) Heather Bagnall Tudball (D) Sheila Ruth (D)

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 22, 2025

HB 390: Affordable Housing Payment In Lieu of Taxes Expansion Act

HB 390 expands tax exemptions for rental housing properties that maintain affordable units. It requires property owners to agree with counties to keep at least 50% of rental units affordable - defined as costing no more than 30% of a household’s income or 60% of the local median income - for a minimum of 15 years. In exchange, these properties qualify for reduced or eliminated county property taxes. The bill directly affects rental property owners seeking tax relief and county governments negotiating these agreements.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 22, 2025

SB 525: Prince George's County - Illegal Dumping and Litter Control Law - Video Evidence and Reward Programs

SB 525 requires all Maryland counties to establish a program allowing residents to submit video evidence of illegal littering or dumping violations to local enforcement agencies. If the video leads to a conviction, the submitter receives half of the fines collected from that violation. The law amends existing litter control penalties to mandate this reward system, with fines also funding litter receptacles, signage, and other litter control efforts. It applies statewide, not just to Prince George's County, and takes effect October 1, 2025.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 22, 2025

HB 261: Estates and Trusts - Priority of Claims on an Estate - Unpaid Child Support

HB 261 changes Maryland's estate payment rules to prioritize unpaid child support owed by a deceased person. It moves "unpaid child support due by the decedent" to position (6) in the order of payment, placing it ahead of taxes, medical expenses, and other claims when an estate lacks enough assets to pay all debts. This directly affects estates with insufficient funds where the decedent owed child support, ensuring those payments are made before claims like unpaid taxes or medical bills from the decedent's final illness. The bill amends Maryland's Estates and Trusts law (Section 8-105) to implement this change, effective October 1, 2025.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 22, 2025

HB 969: Property Tax - Payment in Lieu of Taxes Agreements - Broadband Service Providers

HB 969 modifies Maryland's property tax valuation rules for rural broadband service providers. It requires the State Department of Assessments and Taxation to use a specific method when valuing their operating property, directly affecting rural broadband companies. The key mechanism mandates that when using the income approach, only actual operating income is considered, and when using the replacement cost approach, government subsidies or tax credits must be subtracted from the valuation. This change aims to adjust how these providers' property is taxed, potentially reducing their tax burden. The bill takes effect June 1, 2025, applying to taxable years beginning after June 30, 2025.

Topics ✓ Technology

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 22, 2025

HB 413: Criminal Law - Controlled Dangerous Substances and Firearms

HB 413 allows adults aged 21 or older to manufacture their own personal-use cannabis products or concentrated cannabis at home without using volatile solvents (like butane), provided they stay within defined limits (e.g., 1.5 ounces of cannabis or 12 grams of concentrate). It increases penalties for large-scale cannabis offenses, making possession of 50 pounds or more a felony, and similarly raises thresholds for cocaine offenses (448 grams or more). The bill also creates a new process for certain inmates convicted of cannabis or cocaine-related offenses to request sentence modifications. These changes directly affect individuals growing cannabis at home, large-scale distributors, and eligible incarcerated individuals, while clarifying "adult sharing" (gifts between adults 21+) as legal.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 22, 2025

HB 786: Appellate Court of Maryland - Sessions at Educational Institutions

HB 786 authorizes Maryland's Appellate Court to hold sessions at any secondary (e.g., high schools) or postsecondary (e.g., colleges) educational institution in the state, not just the University of Maryland Baltimore Campus and University of Baltimore as previously allowed. This change requires the Chief Judge to coordinate with school administrators to designate specific institutions for sessions. The bill modifies existing law to expand where the court can operate while maintaining the requirement that sessions must be held for at least ten months annually in Annapolis unless designated otherwise. It does not alter court procedures or affect the public directly, only changing the court's scheduling flexibility.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 22, 2025

HB 323: Domestic Partnership and Marriage - Required Information

HB 323 updates Maryland's requirements for registering domestic partnerships and obtaining marriage licenses. It requires applicants to provide each partner's Social Security number (if they have one) when filing a domestic partnership declaration or marriage license application. The bill also explicitly prohibits public disclosure of Social Security numbers in these records, protecting applicant privacy while clarifying the information needed for processing. This affects anyone applying for a domestic partnership or marriage license in Maryland.

Topics ✓ Technology

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 22, 2025

HB 442: Criminal Procedure - Victims and Witnesses - Out of Court Statement of Child to Forensic Interviewer

HB 442 allows statements made by children under 13 to qualified forensic interviewers to be used as evidence in court for specific cases involving child abuse, sexual offenses, or neglect. It applies when the child is a victim or witness in cases under Maryland law (e.g., abuse under §3-601, sexual offenses under §3-303, or neglect under §3-602.1). For admissibility, the statement must be made to a trained forensic interviewer (not law enforcement, working at a child advocacy center), and the court must provide notice to the defendant and follow specific procedures, including requiring corroborating evidence if the child does not testify. This bill directly affects child victims/witnesses in criminal or juvenile court cases and changes how their out-of-court statements can be presented in court.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 22, 2025

HB 831: Carroll County - Prospective Employees and Volunteers - Criminal History Records Check

HB 831 modifies Carroll County's requirements for criminal background checks on prospective employees and volunteers. It expands the scope of positions requiring a background check to include those involving care or supervision of minors, in addition to existing roles like handling money, permit approvals, inspections, and work in county offices. The bill repeals prior limitations, requiring the County's Department of Human Resources to conduct State and national criminal history checks for these specific roles. The change takes effect October 1, 2025, directly affecting Carroll County staff and volunteers in the defined positions.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 22, 2025

HB 146: Estates and Trusts - Resignation of Trustee - Notice

HB 146 amends Maryland's Trust Act to clarify notice requirements when a trustee resigns. The bill requires trustees resigning under the Maryland Trust Act to provide 30 days' notice to "any person that has a right to replace or appoint a successor" (previously not explicitly listed). This directly affects trustees, beneficiaries, settlors (if living), and individuals with appointment authority over trust successors. The change ensures all parties with authority to appoint a new trustee receive formal notice of the resignation, streamlining the transition process while maintaining existing notice standards for other stakeholders. (Section 14.5-705, effective October 1, 2025)

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 22, 2025

HB 1466: Land Use and Real Property - Accessory Dwelling Units - Requirements and Prohibitions

HB 1466 requires counties and municipalities in Maryland to adopt local rules allowing accessory dwelling units (ADUs) - small secondary homes like backyard cottages or converted garages - on properties zoned for single-family homes by a specified deadline. It sets standards for approving ADU permits, calculating development fees, requiring parking spaces (both on- and off-street), and limiting utility fees or connection requirements for ADUs. The bill also prohibits property sale documents from restricting ADU development and allows homeowners associations to treat ADUs as separate lots for voting and fee purposes. This law directly affects single-family homeowners, local governments, and property associations by expanding housing options through updated zoning rules.

Topics ✓ Housing

Bill results