HB 1213 lowers Maryland's transfer tax rates for specific affordable housing properties to increase housing accessibility. It creates a new "deed-restricted property" category requiring 15% of units to be affordable to households earning ≤80% of the area median income (defined as housing costing ≤30% of income). The bill reduces tax rates for these properties: 0.25% (under $1M), 0.375% ($1M-$10M), and 0.5% ($10M+) versus standard rates for similar properties. It also adds a 0.5% tax rate for transfers involving certain low-income housing tax credit developments, directly benefiting first-time homebuyers and affordable housing developers.
HB 1209 prohibits licensed mental health providers from offering conversion therapy or making false claims about it, directly affecting providers and helping victims who suffered psychological harm. The bill creates a private legal cause of action for individuals harmed by conversion therapy, removes limits on noneconomic damages in such cases, and extends the statute of limitations to account for delayed recognition of harm. It also requires insurers covering providers who perform conversion therapy to charge a surcharge, with funds going to a new "Conversion Therapy Surcharge Fund." These changes aim to provide legal recourse and financial accountability for the psychological injuries linked to conversion therapy.
SB 821 requires Maryland's Department of General Services to acquire the abandoned Sears Building at 11255 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring (20904) by December 31, 2026. The bill mandates acquisition through purchase or condemnation under real property law, specifying it must occur "as quickly as practicable" for a public purpose. This bill directly affects the Department of General Services and the property owner, with no other entities or programs impacted. The measure takes effect July 1, 2026, and is procedural in nature, focusing solely on the acquisition process.
SB 862 requires the Maryland Department of Health to conduct a study measuring how common problem gambling is among mobile gambling users, with an initial report due by July 1, 2031, and follow-up studies every five years. The bill also changes how gambling revenue is distributed by directing 1% of proceeds from fantasy sports competitions and 1% from sports wagering to the Problem Gambling Fund. This fund will support treatment and prevention programs for individuals with gambling disorders. The bill amends existing law to implement these requirements for mobile gambling studies and dedicated funding.
SB 925 directs 3% of the sales and use tax revenue collected from cannabis sales in Maryland to be distributed quarterly to the Maryland Veterans Trust Fund. This fund provides monetary and non-monetary assistance to veterans, their families, Maryland National Guard members, and supporting programs. The bill amends existing tax code to establish this specific allocation, requiring the Comptroller to distribute the funds after other mandated distributions for cannabis tax revenue. This policy change directly affects veterans' support programs by creating a dedicated revenue stream from cannabis taxation. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.
HB 1193 requires the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to collect an 8% surcharge on hotel rentals at Savage Highlands State Park. The revenue from this surcharge will be sent to the Comptroller for distribution to Garrett County. Specifically, 6% of the surcharge funds must be used by Garrett County for promoting the county, while the remaining 2% is directed to the county’s general fund. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, and directly affects park renters and Garrett County’s budget allocation.
SB 768 allows certain active members of the State Police Retirement System to transfer prior service credits from the Local Fire and Police System to their state police retirement account. It applies specifically to individuals who previously worked in local fire/police roles (with a break in employment between leaving that job and joining the state police) but are no longer active in the Local Fire and Police System. To qualify, individuals must submit a transfer request by December 31, 2026, using a form provided by the State Retirement Agency. The bill expires automatically on December 31, 2026, with no further action needed. This change directly affects eligible state police officers seeking to consolidate their retirement service time.
HB 1055 requires Maryland’s Department of Health to add Gaucher disease to the state’s mandatory newborn screening program, effective October 1, 2026. This bill directly affects all newborns in Maryland by expanding the list of conditions screened during routine newborn testing, unless parents or guardians object. The key mechanism is amending Maryland’s Health Code (Section 13-111) to explicitly mandate screening for Gaucher disease, which is currently not included in the standard panel. The bill does not alter existing screening protocols or costs but ensures Gaucher disease is screened for alongside other core conditions listed in federal recommendations.
SB 718 creates a new "Class L" permit in Frederick County for alcohol manufacturers. It allows businesses with a manufacturer's license and either a Class DBR brewery license or Class DDS distillery permit to sell beer, wine, and liquor by the glass for on-premises consumption. The permit includes specific tasting limits (e.g., 6 ounces of beer or wine per visit, 1.5 ounces of liquor), requires compliance with alcohol awareness training, and carries a $250 annual fee. The bill modifies Maryland's alcohol laws to establish this permit type, effective July 1, 2026.
HB 836 prohibits Maryland county school boards from charging students or their parents/guardians any fees related to enrollment in or completion of Advanced Placement (AP) programs approved by the College Board. The bill amends Maryland law to explicitly state that county boards "may not charge" such fees for AP-based college preparatory programs. This directly affects students enrolled in AP courses and their families, removing financial barriers to these programs. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, and applies to all county boards of education offering AP courses as part of approved college preparatory pathways.
HB 803 increases the required classroom teaching time for certain Maryland public school teachers from 60% to 80% of their workweek. It applies specifically to teachers on career ladder levels 1-3 (entry-level and non-leadership tracks), requiring them to spend 80% of their time teaching rather than on other activities like professional development or student tutoring. The bill amends Maryland’s education code to set this new standard, effective July 1, 2026, while keeping existing allowances for non-teaching duties during the remaining 20% of work time. Teachers on level 4 (leadership/administrator tracks) are excluded from this requirement.
HB 1145 allows Baltimore City's Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, Mayor's Office of Children and Family Success, and Mayor's Office of African American Male Engagement to access and use juvenile records when providing services to a child and developing a treatment plan. The bill clarifies that existing confidentiality rules for juvenile records do not block these specific city offices from accessing records under these circumstances. It also makes these offices liable for unauthorized release of any accessed records. This change affects how these three city offices handle juvenile records for service delivery and treatment planning.
