Technology

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 14, 2026

SB 601: Cybersecurity - Standards and Compliance - Alterations

SB 601 requires all Maryland local school systems to designate a cybersecurity point of contact by 2027 and comply with state minimum cybersecurity standards established by the Department of Information Technology. Schools must conduct a cybersecurity maturity assessment every two years and certify compliance annually by June 30, starting in 2027. The bill repeals a previous requirement that county boards prioritize purchasing digital devices with certain funds and instead mandates annual reporting on cybersecurity expenditures. It also directs the Department of Information Technology to annually review and update the state cybersecurity standards. This bill directly affects all public school systems in Maryland, focusing on strengthening cybersecurity practices rather than device procurement.

Topics ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRequires schools to adopt cybersecurity standards, conduct assessments, and certify compliance, directly enhancing data protection and cybersecurity measures.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Cybersecurity

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 5, 2026

HB 799: Maryland Co-Location Energy Innovation and Reliability Act

HB 799 requires Maryland's Public Service Commission to create regulations for generating stations co-located with data centers that operate independently - without connecting to the state's main power grid. It directly affects data center operators and energy generators by exempting these facilities from state renewable energy mandates, distribution fees, and retail electricity regulations. Key provisions include mandating on-site backup power, cybersecurity safeguards, and annual reports on energy sources, environmental impact, and contributions to state energy goals. The bill aims to establish clear rules for off-grid energy systems while ensuring reliability and accountability.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesExempts data centers from distribution fees and renewable energy mandates, reducing state revenue and weakening fiscal management.90% confidence ✗ EnergyOpposes EnergyExempts co-located data center power facilities from renewable energy mandates, weakening clean energy standards for that sector.85% confidence ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentExempts data centers from renewable energy mandates, removing requirements that would promote clean energy use and weaken environmental regulations.85% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyMandates cybersecurity safeguards for data centers, directly enhancing tech security protocols as per topic description.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Electric Grid Energy Resilience Utility Regulation Cybersecurity

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in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 16, 2026

HB 1051: Public Health - Patient Access to Medication

HB 1051 creates Maryland’s "Meds-to-Beds Program," requiring all state hospitals to partner with licensed pharmacists who deliver discharge medications to patients *before* they leave the hospital, aiming to reduce readmissions. It also expands insurance coverage for telehealth to include automated drug dispensing systems and remote dispensing systems, allowing pharmacies to outsource prescription processing under specific conditions. The bill directly affects hospitals (mandated to participate), pharmacists (who deliver medications), and patients (who receive timely discharge drugs). Key changes include updating telehealth definitions in insurance law and establishing new regulations for medication access systems.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands insurance coverage for telehealth drug systems and mandates pre-discharge medication delivery to improve patient access and reduce hospital readmissions.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill expands insurance coverage for telehealth and automated drug dispensing systems, promoting technology use in healthcare access and reducing barriers to digital health services.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Insurance Telehealth

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in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 13, 2026

HB 1451: Public Health - Women's Health Care Data - Report

HB 1451 requires Maryland's Department of Health to create a standardized system for collecting and reporting annual data on the costs of specific women's health services. It mandates hospitals, licensed health providers, and other entities to submit aggregated, anonymized data on prenatal care, birth, postpartum care, pregnancy care, abortion services (excluding procedure-level details), and menopausal care. The bill explicitly prohibits collecting patient-identifiable information or violating privacy laws, focusing only on budgetary and expenditure data. This data will be used to analyze costs, evaluate funding effectiveness, and identify gaps in women's health care services, without specifying policy outcomes.

Topics ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRequires anonymized health data collection, prohibiting identifiable information to protect patient privacy, aligning with data privacy safeguards.85% confidence

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signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 12, 2026

HB 898: Economic Development - Delivering Economic Competitiveness and Advancing Development Efforts (DECADE) Act

HB 898, the DECADE Act, reorganizes Maryland's economic development programs to streamline administration and expand incentives. It redesignates the Economic Development Opportunities Program Account as the "Strategic Closing Fund" under the Department of Commerce, alters eligibility and calculation rules for tax credits (including Job Creation, R&D, and film production credits), and extends the Build Our Future Grant Pilot Program. The bill allows pass-through entities to allocate tax credits to members and removes limits on film production tax credit certificates. These changes directly affect businesses, investors, and film producers seeking state economic development incentives.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExpands tax credits (Job Creation, R&D, film) and streamlines incentives, directly advancing economic development funding via tax policy.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill includes R&D tax credits, a direct incentive for technology innovation and advancement, supporting tech industry growth.80% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Tax Credits Tax Incentives Tags Economic Development

passed · Maryland · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SB 605: Public Service Commission - Broadband and Voice Over Internet Protocol Service - Study

SB 605, the Broadband Accountability and Affordability Act, gives Maryland's Public Service Commission new authority to oversee broadband and VoIP services. It requires internet service providers (ISPs) to submit data on network reliability, outages, emergency plans, and pricing, and mandates the Commission to assess if these plans meet standards for resilience and safety. The Commission can conduct audits or require ISPs to fix issues if services are deemed unsafe or unreliable, and must report annually to the legislature on progress. This directly affects ISPs operating in Maryland and aims to improve the quality and reliability of broadband and VoIP services for consumers.

Topics ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyMandates ISP data reporting on network reliability/safety and Commission oversight to ensure service quality, aligning with consumer protection in technology services.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Broadband Access Telecommunications

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signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 12, 2026

HB 1355: Financial Institutions - Payment Stablecoin Services - Establishment and Regulation (Maryland Stablecoin Act)

HB 1355, the Maryland Stablecoin Act, creates a new regulatory framework for entities providing payment stablecoin services in Maryland. It directly affects nondepository trust companies (financial institutions not covered by FDIC insurance) that wish to offer stablecoin-related services, such as issuing or facilitating transactions with stablecoins (digital currencies pegged to assets like the US dollar). The bill establishes licensing requirements, capital stock rules, and disclosure obligations for these providers under the Commissioner of Financial Regulation, while exempting certain existing nondepository trust companies from unrelated regulations. It adds new sections (14-101 through 14-603) to Maryland’s Financial Institutions code to define terms like "permitted payment stablecoin issuer" and "state issuer," and modifies existing fee structures for new bank charters. The law aims to provide legal clarity and oversight for this emerging financial service within the state.

Topics ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRegulates stablecoin services to create a clear framework, enabling responsible innovation in digital finance without restricting technology adoption.85% confidence

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 13, 2026

SB 963: Maryland Department of Health - Medicaid Management Information System - Mainframe System Replacement

This bill requires Maryland's Department of Health to replace its outdated Medicaid mainframe system with a modern, modular system by 2028. The new system must maintain all current Medicaid functions - including provider enrollment, claims processing, and data reporting - while improving security, accuracy, and performance. The Department must integrate the replacement with the Medicaid Enterprise System by January 2027 and fully transition all applications from the old system by January 2028, decommissioning the legacy system afterward. This change directly affects the Department’s internal operations, not Medicaid beneficiaries or providers, and aligns with federal requirements for Medicaid IT systems.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill modernizes Medicaid IT infrastructure to maintain/upgrade critical healthcare functions (claims processing, enrollment), improving system security and performance for Medicaid services.92% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill mandates modern system replacement with explicit focus on improving security, accuracy, and performance for Medicaid data processing, directly enhancing cybersecurity infrastructure.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid

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in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 17, 2026

HB 1429: Consumer Protection - Right to Repair - Motor Vehicles and Farm Equipment

HB 1429 requires car and farm equipment manufacturers to provide independent repair shops and vehicle owners with the tools, information, and data needed for diagnosis, service, and repair. Specifically, it mandates that manufacturers install open data platforms in vehicles with wireless diagnostic systems to allow third parties access to repair data, and prohibits farm equipment makers from withholding or misrepresenting part numbers. The bill also requires manufacturers to give consumers a document explaining their rights to access vehicle data at the time of purchase. These provisions aim to make repairs more accessible by reducing manufacturer control over repair information.

Topics ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyMandates open data platforms for third-party repair access, advancing consumer digital rights and data accessibility in vehicle technology systems.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Consumer Data Protection Telecommunications

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in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 11, 2026

HB 1066: Municipal Elections - Qualified Electronic Transmission Systems - Authorization for Use

HB 1066 authorizes Maryland municipalities to conduct local elections using secure electronic voting systems that meet strict security standards. The bill defines a "qualified electronic transmission system" as one with end-to-end encryption, verifiability, biometric ID verification, and paper record backup. Municipalities may use these systems for elections but are prohibited from using voter data collected through them for any purpose beyond election administration or voter participation statistics. This bill directly affects local governments in Maryland planning to adopt electronic voting methods for municipal elections, effective July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyAuthorizes secure electronic voting systems with encryption, verifiability, and data privacy protections, directly enhancing cybersecurity and data privacy standards.95% confidence

Tags Elections

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