SB 140 prohibits individuals from knowingly recruiting, harboring, transporting, or obtaining another person specifically to appropriate their government benefits for personal gain or another's benefit. It directly affects vulnerable populations receiving benefits like Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP, Social Security, or veterans' aid, and targets those exploiting them through coercion (e.g., threats, financial control) or deception. The law defines "exploitation" as illegally using benefits via undue influence, false promises, or isolation, and bans profiting from such exploitation or aiding violations. Violations are felonies punishable by up to 25 years in prison, a $15,000 fine, or both, with each violation treated as a separate offense.
SB 238 establishes Maryland's participation in the School Psychologist Interstate Licensure Compact, allowing licensed school psychologists to practice across member states without duplicative licensing. The bill creates a standardized pathway for psychologists to hold "equivalent licenses" in any participating state, directly affecting school psychologists seeking cross-state work and school districts needing qualified staff. Key provisions include requiring psychologists to follow each state's scope of practice laws, preserving state authority over licensing, and specifically facilitating mobility for military families. The compact also establishes a Commission to oversee implementation and address issues like disciplinary actions. This is a substantive policy change enabling easier interstate practice while maintaining state-level professional standards.
This bill ensures Maryland's Recovery Residence Grant Program receives $500,000 annually from fiscal years 2024 through 2030 by requiring this funding be included in the state's annual budget. It directly supports recovery residences (such as sober living facilities) that provide housing and support services for people in addiction recovery. The law updates existing funding rules to extend the annual budget requirement through 2030, preventing potential funding gaps. This creates a stable funding mechanism for these community-based recovery programs.
HB 340 would allow Maryland to join the School Psychologist Interstate Licensure Compact, enabling licensed school psychologists from member states to practice in Maryland without reapplying for separate state licenses. This directly affects school psychologists seeking to work across state lines, particularly in areas facing staffing shortages. The compact establishes standardized requirements for multistate licensure and creates a commission to manage the agreement, while ensuring states maintain authority to protect public safety through their own scope-of-practice laws. The goal is to improve access to school psychological services by streamlining licensing for qualified professionals.
SB 486 expands Maryland's Graduate and Professional Scholarship Program to include students at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) in specific graduate programs. It adds UMES as an eligible institution for students enrolled in four programs: Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Studies, Doctor of Pharmacy, Doctor of Physical Therapy, and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. This change directly affects UMES students in these fields who previously could not access the scholarship. The bill amends existing law to update the list of qualifying institutions without changing scholarship amounts ($1,000-$5,000 per year) or other program rules. The change takes effect July 1, 2026.
HB 684 requires health insurance companies to notify members 60 days in advance if a provider (including primary care or behavioral health providers) is removed from their network, unless termination relates to fraud, abuse, or licensure issues. It mandates that members affected by such changes receive a 90-day special enrollment period to continue seeing those providers, along with clear contact information for filing complaints. Insurance companies must also notify the Maryland Insurance Commissioner about network changes at least 60 days before termination and update their access plans within 5 business days of the change. This bill directly affects health insurance members who lose provider access and requires insurers to follow specific transparency and transition procedures.
SB 340 requires the Governor to allocate at least 3% of funds collected from nursing facilities' Medicaid quality assessments toward the Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman's operations in the state budget. It directly affects nursing facilities with 45 or more beds operating in Maryland, which must pay the quality assessment. The bill mandates that these funds - collected quarterly based on non-Medicare patient days - must be used solely for the Ombudsman office, with no reduction to existing funding for this purpose. This creates a dedicated, ongoing funding source to support the Ombudsman's role in investigating resident complaints and advocating for long-term care rights.
HB 1372 requires the Maryland Health Care Commission, working with the Office of Health Care Quality, to create a process for publishing health facility inspection data (including inspection dates, quality ratings, next inspection dates, and compliance statements) on a public website. It establishes the Maryland Department of Health Centralization Commission, composed of legislators, department officials, and health board leaders, to advise on improving efficiency between the Department and health occupations boards. The bill also mandates that all health occupations boards meet minimum cybersecurity standards set by the Secretary of Information Technology. These changes directly affect health care facilities subject to inspections, health occupations boards, and the Maryland Department of Health.
HB 1420 requires criminal history background checks for applicants and renewing licensees in specific healthcare professions, including nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, and others listed in the bill. Starting July 1, 2027, new applicants must submit fingerprints and pay fees to the state’s Central Repository for a criminal records check under new Section 1A-302.1. Existing licensees renewing after January 1, 2028, must also provide proof of a criminal check. The bill establishes standardized procedures for conducting these checks while ensuring confidentiality and allowing applicants to contest results.
HB 423 requires Prince George’s County public high schools to provide free drink spiking detection products (for GHB/ketamine) and fentanyl detection strips to all students starting the 2026-2027 school year. These products must be available at no cost in school health clinics or libraries. Each school must also report annually (by October 1) to Maryland’s Office of Overdose Response the quantity distributed during the prior school year. The bill applies exclusively to Prince George’s County schools and takes effect July 1, 2026.
