SB 539 establishes the Workforce Opportunities Grant Program to provide competitive grants to nonprofits, local workforce boards, and employer-community partnerships for planning and hosting job fairs and workforce events across Maryland. It creates a permanent "Workforce Opportunities Grant Fund" (nonlapsing) to finance the program, with interest earnings automatically credited to the fund. The Department of Social and Economic Mobility will administer the program, connecting job seekers with employers through these funded events. This directly affects organizations organizing workforce events and job fairs, aiming to expand employment opportunities for residents.
HB 1013 requires Prince George’s County Public Schools to fund full-time salaries and benefits (including health insurance) for all one-to-one student aides starting in the 2027-2028 school year. It mandates quarterly reports to the county board and state education department on key metrics like aide vacancy rates, IEP service delivery, and compensatory services completion. The bill also requires the county superintendent to provide annual professional development for special education staff and directs the state to hire a third-party auditor to review the county’s special education department for fiscal years 2021-2025. These provisions directly affect Prince George’s County’s special education program, its staff, and students with individualized education plans (IEPs).
This bill requires Dorchester County to join the Correctional Officers' Retirement System (CORS) if it becomes a participating unit, mandating that certain local detention center officers (those employed before the effective date and remaining employed through it) must join CORS. Upon joining, these officers would receive service credit for their prior Dorchester County employment and would no longer be members of the Employees' Pension System, forfeiting all future benefits from that system. The bill specifies that the transfer of service credit follows CORS rules, not standard pension regulations, and takes effect June 1, 2026. It directly affects Dorchester County correctional officers currently covered by the Employees' Pension System.
HB 1241 expands Maryland's bereavement leave eligibility by redefining "qualified relationships" to include more individuals beyond immediate family. The bill adds grandparents, siblings, domestic partners, step-relatives, adoptive/foster relations, and de facto partners to the list of relationships qualifying for paid bereavement leave. This change directly affects Maryland employees who experience the death of these individuals, allowing them to take paid leave under state law. The bill amends Section 3-802 of the Maryland Annotated Code without altering leave duration or pay structure, maintaining existing employer thresholds (15+ employees) and excluding federal FMLA coverage.
SB 793 creates a Maryland state income tax credit for employers who provide paid leave for employees donating organs. Qualified employers (those with a written policy paying 100% of wages during organ donation leave) can claim a credit equal to 100% of wages paid during the first 12 weeks of leave. Unused credit can be carried forward for up to three years. This directly affects employers offering this specific benefit and eligible employees who donate organs with physician verification.
SB 857, the Maryland Employee Civic Activity and Lawful Expression Protection Act, protects employees from employer retaliation for off-duty civic and political activities. It prohibits employers from firing, demoting, or punishing workers for engaging in protected activities like volunteering for causes, speaking publicly about issues, campaigning, or donating to political causes - unless the activity directly interferes with job duties. The law also bans employers from requiring political disclosures during hiring unless directly job-related or forcing employees to attend political events. Employees who face violations can sue directly in court for triple damages plus up to one year’s wages for wrongful termination. The law applies to all employees, including interns and part-timers, and covers both in-person and online expression.
SB 672 requires Maryland's State Department of Education to create a plan by December 1, 2026, to expand access to high-quality early childhood education and childcare for children from birth through age 3 in Prince George's County. The plan must analyze costs for parents, the county, and state; workforce needs for providers; current capacity to serve more children; and potential new revenue sources. It mandates consultation with Prince George's County and relevant state agencies during development. The bill directly affects infants and toddlers in Prince George's County, their families, and local childcare providers. The plan must be submitted to the Governor, state legislature, and Prince George's County delegation by the deadline, with implementation beginning July 1, 2026.
SB 748 requires Allegany County correctional officers to join the Correctional Officers’ Retirement System if the county participates in it, replacing their current membership in the Employees’ Pension System. Officers who join this system will automatically lose all membership and future benefit rights in the Employees’ Pension System. The bill applies to officers employed by Allegany County’s detention center before June 1, 2026, and transitioning to the new system. This change takes effect on June 1, 2026, with no transfer of pension benefits governed by standard rules.
HB 1486 changes how Maryland calculates workers' compensation for employees injured while working multiple jobs. It requires combining wages from all concurrent employers at the time of injury to determine the average weekly wage for compensation claims. This replaces current rules and also directs the Subsequent Injury Fund to reimburse employers for certain permanent disability payments. The bill directly affects injured workers with multiple jobs and their employers in wage calculation scenarios.
HB 864 (Maryland Workforce Apprenticeship Utilization Act) requires contractors and subcontractors on Maryland public works projects to employ a minimum percentage of qualified apprentices or journeyworkers instead of paying fees to apprenticeship programs. The bill expands this requirement to cover construction projects for the University System of Maryland and Baltimore City Community College. It repeals current provisions allowing contractors to pay fees in lieu of hiring apprentices and directs the Secretary of Labor to set an annual apprenticeship hiring percentage for each project. This policy change directly affects contractors bidding on public construction projects valued above specific thresholds, aiming to increase on-the-job training opportunities in skilled trades.
