HB 726 requires the Maryland Transportation Authority to name a new bridge replacing the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge the "Francis Scott Key Memorial Bridge" upon its completion. This bill directly affects the Maryland Transportation Authority, which must implement the naming after the new bridge opens to traffic. The law amends state transportation codes to include the bridge's official name and sets a deadline: if the bridge opens by December 31, 2031, the naming takes effect immediately after notification to the legislature. The bill is procedural, focusing solely on the bridge's official designation with no additional policy changes.
SB 485 requires the Maryland Department of Health to create a system for collecting annual data on the costs of specific women's health services, including prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, abortion, and menopausal care. Hospitals, healthcare providers, and other entities offering these services must report aggregated cost data (without identifying individual patients) to comply with privacy laws. The collected data will be used to assess financial impacts on patients and providers, inform health policy decisions, and evaluate how effectively public and private funds are spent. The bill specifically mandates that abortion cost data be reported in aggregated form only, excluding procedure-level details.
HB 733 requires the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) to provide real-time audible and text-based announcements for all stops and critical information on every fixed-route transit service (like buses and light rail) starting October 1, 2026. This directly affects all riders using Maryland's fixed-route transit systems by mandating clearer, more accessible stop and service announcements. The key provision, added to Maryland law under Article Transportation §7-720, specifies that announcements must be both audible and text-based to ensure accessibility for all passengers. The bill focuses on standardizing communication without altering service routes or funding.
SB 484 changes how child abuse and neglect reports are handled in Maryland by requiring mandated reporters (like teachers, doctors, and social workers) to submit reports directly to the Department of Human Services (DHS) instead of local social services or law enforcement. The bill establishes a centralized DHS intake system to record, assess report validity, and assign cases to local departments for investigation. This replaces current procedures outlined in sections 5-704 and 5-704.2 of Maryland’s Family Law, streamlining the initial reporting process while maintaining existing requirements for report content and timelines.
SB 474 repeals Maryland’s current caps on non-monetary damages in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits, removing limits of $350,000 for personal injury claims and $500,000 for wrongful death claims. The bill directly affects plaintiffs filing these types of lawsuits in Maryland courts, eliminating the fixed dollar thresholds that previously restricted compensation for harms like pain, suffering, or loss of companionship. It applies prospectively to cases arising on or after October 1, 2026, meaning existing cases and prior claims remain unaffected. The change removes the requirement for courts to reduce jury awards that exceed these limits, allowing full compensation for non-monetary harms in new cases.
SB 506 allows pharmacists in Maryland to prescribe, administer, and dispense certain medications for minor conditions and HIV prevention/treatment, directly affecting patients seeking these services. Pharmacists can now treat specific minor conditions (like cold sores, strep throat, lice, and urinary infections) under statewide protocols established by the Maryland Department of Health, without requiring a new diagnosis. The bill also enables pharmacists to prescribe HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) medications after performing or interpreting HIV tests, replacing the previous nPEP Standing Order Program. All activities must follow protocols that align with federal guidelines and U.S. FDA-approved drug labeling.
SB 510 modifies Maryland's requirements for becoming a licensed funeral director by removing a specific practical examination component. It eliminates the requirement for applicants to demonstrate competency in embalming or preparing human bodies for final disposition during their licensure exam. The bill maintains existing requirements, including holding an associate degree in mortuary science from an accredited program, passing a national board exam, and meeting moral character standards. This change directly affects individuals seeking funeral direction licensure in Maryland who would no longer need to complete the practical exam on body preparation or embalming.
SB 183 establishes the Maryland Cyber Reserve as a new component of Maryland's organized militia under the Military Department. It directly affects state and local government agencies, critical infrastructure operators, and later may support corporations or citizens targeted by cyber attacks. The bill creates a formal structure for the reserve, including a commanding general appointed by the Adjutant General, with its primary mission focused on preventing and resolving cyber attacks through educational and technical support. Members will receive workers' compensation coverage during training and active duty, and the reserve operates separately from the National Guard. The bill amends Maryland law to define the reserve's authority, enlistment requirements, and operational responsibilities.
SB 121 would create a program allowing specific public servants and their immediate family members (including prosecutors, law enforcement officers, elected officials, and their spouses/children) to request that government entities or individuals remove their personal information - including home addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, and license plate details - from public online platforms like government websites or social media. The bill requires government entities to remove such information within 72 hours of a written request and establishes legal remedies, including injunctions and attorney fees, for violations. It also imposes criminal penalties for knowingly publishing protected individuals' personal information. This bill, currently pre-filed and awaiting committee hearings, does not yet apply as law.
HB 51 establishes Maryland's Digital Asset Reserve Fund, a permanent state fund to invest cryptocurrency using money seized from gambling violations (like illegal bookmaking or betting). The State Treasurer would manage this fund, directing forfeiture proceeds from gambling enforcement into cryptocurrency investments that meet a $500 billion market capitalization minimum. The bill modifies criminal procedure laws to redirect these seized funds to the new reserve instead of the general fund, and adds new rules for managing crypto assets securely. It does not affect general state tax revenue or other funding sources.
HB 394 requires Maryland county school boards to annually identify areas where students live too far from school for bus transportation and list safe walking/biking routes (with sidewalks, crosswalks, or paths) for those students. County governments must then review these reports and construct necessary sidewalks and crosswalks to create these safe routes. The bill applies to all counties and mandates coordination with other entities if county-owned roads aren't sufficient. It directly affects public school students living beyond bus service distance and county governments responsible for infrastructure. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.
HB 516, the "Worksite Enforcement Act of 2026," requires the Maryland Department of Labor to establish standardized procedures for handling workplace complaints related to safety risks, wage theft, or administrative issues. It mandates specific response times to complainants (7 days for imminent safety risks, 14 days for wage theft, 30 days for record-keeping issues) and requires the Department to hire one investigator per defined regional zone (e.g., Western Maryland, Baltimore County/City) starting in FY2027. The bill also requires the Governor to include a $500,000 annual budget appropriation for these investigators beginning in FY2027. This law directly affects workers filing complaints, the Department of Labor, and state budget planning, focusing on improving complaint resolution speed and investigative capacity.
