HB 593 amends Maryland's criminal law to specifically prohibit unauthorized actions intended to disrupt critical infrastructure or public safety answering points. It makes it a crime to intentionally access, copy data from, or possess access codes for systems like power grids, emergency call centers, or transportation networks with the intent to impair their function. The bill defines "critical infrastructure" as systems vital to public security, health, safety, or utilities, and explicitly includes ransomware attacks as a prohibited act. This law directly affects individuals who interfere with these essential systems, imposing criminal penalties for intentional disruption.
This bill amends existing state debt authorizations to update grant details for various community projects across Maryland. It directly affects multiple local organizations and municipalities that have received state funding for construction, renovation, and infrastructure improvements. The key provision allows the state to change grantee names, modify authorized project uses, and extend termination dates for several grants without requiring new legislation for each change. Specific projects include facilities for the National Road Museum, Harford Crisis Center, Imagination Stage, and various community centers, with funding amounts and deadlines being adjusted accordingly.
SB 649 requires owners of electric vehicle (EV) charging equipment to clearly display business contact information (name, address, phone number) near charging stations. It mandates that all EV electricity sold at retail must be measured and sold in kilowatt-hours, and sets an annual minimum price determined by the Comptroller. Station owners may also charge separate fees for related services, such as fixed fees or time-based charges. The bill directly affects EV charging station operators by standardizing measurement, pricing, and transparency requirements.
HB 927 authorizes Carroll County to borrow up to $27 million through general obligation bonds to fund public infrastructure projects, including water and sewer systems, volunteer fire department equipment/buildings, and other facilities like parks, roads, and agricultural land preservation. The bonds would be tax-exempt at state and local levels, with annual property taxes levied to repay them. This bill directly affects Carroll County residents through future tax-funded projects and volunteer fire departments receiving loan access for equipment and facilities. The county retains full discretion over bond terms, including interest rates, maturity dates (up to 30 years), and specific project allocations within the $27 million limit.
HB 833 reestablishes Maryland's Commission to Advance Lithium-Ion Battery Safety with updated membership and a focused mandate. The commission, composed of 27+ members including state agencies, fire departments, battery manufacturers, recyclers, and industry representatives, will study key safety issues like preventing fires in consumer/transportation applications, recycling standards, port/rail risks, and insurance impacts. It must submit an interim report by December 1, 2026, with recommendations on best practices, training, and regulatory approaches. This bill directly affects state agencies, first responders, and industries handling lithium-ion batteries, but does not enact new laws - only directs the commission to study and advise.
SB 487 authorizes Maryland’s State Highway Administration and local jurisdictions to install speed monitoring systems in designated "safety corridors" - areas identified as high-risk for pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users. It updates existing traffic laws to clarify that penalties from speed monitoring citations (e.g., for speeding in these corridors) must be paid directly to local political subdivisions for uncontested cases or to District Courts for contested cases. The bill amends multiple sections of Maryland’s Transportation and Courts codes to integrate these systems into standard traffic enforcement procedures. It directly affects drivers receiving citations in monitored corridors, local governments implementing the systems, and courts handling related cases. The law focuses on operational details of speed monitoring, not broader safety outcomes.
HB 229 proposes to increase the Maryland Transportation Authority's (MDTA) annual limit for outstanding toll-revenue bonds from $4 billion to $5 billion, effective June 30 each year. This change directly affects the MDTA, allowing it to issue more bonds to fund transportation projects financed through toll revenue. The bill also specifies that the $5 billion cap would be reduced by any federal loans or drawn lines of credit under the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act. The increase aims to provide greater flexibility for the MDTA to finance transportation infrastructure without requiring annual legislative approval for the bond limit. The bill is currently pending in committee after a favorable report.
SB 936 updates Maryland's vehicle laws to prohibit drivers from parking, stopping, or standing in a bus stop zone when a transit bus is present. This directly affects drivers who park in designated bus stop areas during bus stops. The bill adds a new rule (Section 21-1003(GG)) allowing exceptions only for authorized personnel or drivers actively loading/unloading passengers with hazard lights on. It also revises related provisions about bus obstruction monitoring systems and their use in enforcement, replacing outdated references to "bus lane" with "bus obstruction." The law aims to improve bus stop efficiency by reducing obstructions.
SB 389, the Maryland Transit and Housing Opportunity Act, automatically designates transit-oriented development (TOD) areas near rail stations with hourly weekday service (8 a.m.-6 p.m.) as enterprise zones - bypassing normal limits on such designations. It requires Maryland’s development corporation to prioritize loans for projects redeveloping state-owned land near rail stations and delays development taxes/fees for qualifying residential projects. The bill also adds project labor agreements as a scoring factor for TOD funding and adjusts local land-use regulations to support transit-focused development. Directly affecting developers, local governments, and communities near transit hubs, it aims to accelerate housing and infrastructure near rail corridors.
SB 789 requires automotive repair facilities performing advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) recalibrations - such as those needed after windshield replacement - to obtain a license from Maryland's Motor Vehicle Administration. It mandates that facilities inform customers if ADAS recalibration is required, provide written confirmation that work meets manufacturer specs, and prohibits facilities from charging for unperformed services. The bill also bans insurance companies from withholding ADAS repair information in estimates and makes violations of these rules unfair trade practices under Maryland's Consumer Protection Act. This directly affects repair shops, insurance providers, and vehicle owners by standardizing ADAS recalibration procedures and increasing transparency in repair costs.
