HB 878 extends Maryland's workers' compensation presumption for heart disease and hypertension to Carroll County correctional deputies. It adds "Carroll County Correctional Deputy" to the list of public safety employees eligible for this presumption, meaning they can automatically qualify for benefits if these conditions result in partial disability or death while on duty. The bill requires deputies to undergo a pre-employment medical exam to establish any pre-existing heart conditions, and benefits only apply if the condition is more severe than prior to their employment. This change modifies specific sections of Maryland's workers' compensation law to apply these provisions exclusively to Carroll County correctional deputies.
HB 1510 requires unemployment insurance claimants in Maryland to use two-step verification (like a password plus a code) when accessing online claim services to prevent fraud. It mandates the Department of Labor to review claims with suspicious patterns - such as identical bank account details used across multiple claims - and refer suspected fraud cases to law enforcement. The bill also authorizes the Department to recover overpaid benefits by withholding from state income tax refunds and increases penalties for fraud, including extending disqualification periods for claimants found to have committed fraud.
HB 1335 requires Maryland's Department of Information Technology to hire an outside expert to conduct a study on state IT and cybersecurity workforce compensation. The study must compare salaries of state IT professionals with federal, local, and private-sector roles, evaluate the impact of current pay adjustments and benefits, and provide recommendations to improve recruitment and retention. The department must submit the findings to the Governor and legislature by November 1, 2027, and the law expires automatically on June 30, 2028. This bill does not change pay rates but mandates research to inform future decisions affecting state IT and cybersecurity staff.
SB 922 establishes collective bargaining rights for county and municipal employees in Maryland by applying the state's Public Employee Relations Act to local governments. It defines "public local employees" (excluding confidential/management staff and school/library workers) and requires counties/municipalities to adopt local labor laws for negotiations. Key provisions include mandatory good-faith bargaining, binding arbitration for unresolved disputes, and procedures for local governments to seek board reviews of their labor policies. The bill directly affects local government workers and employers across Maryland's counties and cities, excluding school boards, community colleges, and public libraries.
HB 1115 clarifies that Maryland public school teachers holding a National Board Certification (NBC) with a 10-year award period (awarded by December 31, 2021) are eligible for specific salary increases tied to the career ladder. The bill establishes a $10,000 salary increase for becoming an NBC teacher and an additional $7,000 for teaching at a low-performing school, applying retroactively to eligible teachers. It also sets a minimum teacher salary of $60,000 starting July 1, 2026, and specifies that teachers meeting multiple criteria receive all applicable increases. This bill directly affects certified public school teachers in Maryland who hold qualifying NBC credentials.
HB 1129 requires provider agencies that contract with Maryland's Medicaid program (specifically for services like Community First Choice and Community Personal Assistance) to pay personal care aides a minimum wage of $17 per hour and provide written wage notices. It mandates these agencies to offer 24 hours of paid sick leave annually (or upon hire) and additional paid leave at a rate of 1 hour per 30 hours worked after 720 hours in a year. The Maryland Department of Health can enforce compliance through corrective plans, program suspension, or termination for noncompliance. This bill directly affects personal care aides employed by Medicaid-reimbursed agencies, aiming to improve their compensation and leave benefits.
HB 1173 prohibits state contractors and vendors from using public funds to influence employees of their company (including subcontractors) regarding union membership or support for employee organizations. It specifically bans using state funds to fund anti-union campaigns, efforts to prevent collective bargaining rights, or activities opposing union certification. The law applies to all contractors and vendors working with state government units, covering both direct employee influence and third-party anti-union activities. Exceptions include standard collective bargaining processes, grievance resolution, and activities required by law. This bill directly affects state contractors, vendors, and their employees by restricting how public funds can be used in labor relations.
HB 1356, the Maryland Employee Civic Activity and Lawful Expression Protection Act, prohibits employers from taking adverse actions against employees for engaging in off-duty civic activities, political expression, or lawful online speech. It protects all employees - including interns, part-timers, and temporary workers - from retaliation such as termination, demotion, or denial of promotion for activities like protesting, volunteering, or sharing opinions online outside work hours. The law bans employers from coercing political contributions, forcing attendance at political events, or maintaining policies that restrict protected activities, with exceptions only for conduct that disrupts job duties or reveals trade secrets. Employees can pursue civil lawsuits for violations without exhausting administrative remedies first.
HB 831 establishes collective bargaining rights for county and municipal employees in Maryland by applying the state's Public Employee Relations Act (PERA) to local government workplaces. It defines "public local employees" (excluding confidential and management staff) and creates procedures for negotiations, including binding arbitration to resolve disputes between local governments and employee representatives. The bill also modifies the Public Employee Relations Board's structure and explicitly excludes school boards, community college boards, and public library systems from coverage. This directly affects thousands of local government workers across Maryland's counties and municipalities who will now have formalized bargaining processes for wages, hours, and working conditions.
SB 675 modifies how Maryland's Commissioner of Labor and Industry calculates prevailing wage rates for public works projects. It prohibits the Commissioner from using wage data from investor-owned gas or electric companies (defined in the bill) when determining these rates. If a wage rate was previously calculated using such prohibited data, the Commissioner must vacate that rate and recalculate it correctly. This directly affects public works contractors and the state's process for setting fair wages on government-funded projects. The bill aims to ensure wage calculations rely only on data from non-utility sectors.
