ENERGY
HB 1532 Utility RELIEF (Reducing Energy Load Inflation for Everyday Families) Act (The Speaker)
HB 1532 is bipartisan legislation that builds on the progress of the 2025 Next Generation Energy Act to further protect ratepayers, ensure reliability while responding to rising energy demand (especially from data center growth), continue to advance clean energy, and preserve programs that reduce energy costs over time.
HB 1 Investor-Owned Electric, Gas, and Gas and Electric Companies – Cost Recovery – Limitations (Crosby)
HB1 is consumer protection legislation ensuring that Maryland’s ratepayers do not pay for the bonus compensation of top wage-earners at investor–owned gas and electric companies. While ratepayers have seen their costs rise, shareholders of investor–owned utilities have seen their profits soar; HB1 bans taxpayers from footing the bill for utility CEO bonuses.
OPPORTUNITY/ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
HB 1165 State Procurement – Apprenticeship Program Accountability and Completion (Williams)
HB 1165 creates a framework to improve the quality and outcomes of registered apprenticeship programs and entry programs so that Maryland can yield more skilled tradespeople.
HB 864 Maryland Workforce Apprenticeship Utilization Act (Wells)
HB 864 requires contractors on state-funded public projects to use apprentices and journey workers, embedding hands-on training into public investments. By aligning state spending with workforce development, it creates structured, paid pathways into skilled construction careers and strengthens Maryland’s apprenticeship system while expanding economic opportunity for workers.
HB 461 Economic Development – Rural Readiness Program and Rural Maryland Capacity Building Fund – Establishment (Ziegler)
HB 461 is bipartisan economic opportunity legislation to help rural communities keep pace with the rest of the state in infrastructure development and access to state and federal grants. Many rural jurisdictions struggle to apply for competitive funding opportunities due to limited administrative staff and resources; this bill provides support and technical assistance, so small towns and the non-profits that serve them are better prepared to pursue grant funding and complete applications.
HB168 Housing and Community Development – Affordable Housing – Educator Workforce Housing and Municipal Corporations (Vogel)
HB 168 expands opportunities for county and municipal governments to build and operate affordable housing for teachers and other public school employees in partnership with local school districts. It unlocks financial tools to lower the cost of development and encourage educator workforce housing projects near schools.
HB 135 Economic Development – Tax Increment Financing – Noncontiguous Areas (Schindler)
HB 135 is bipartisan legislation that enables local governments to implement redevelopment projects and promote economic growth in underinvested areas. Allowing local governments to establish TIFs districts in non-contiguous areas reflects the reality that areas of blight and vacant properties tend to be scattered, rather than neatly bundled together in one contiguous space. The bill bolsters the ability of local governments to rejuvenate communities in a locally driven way within preexisting administrative and fiscal approval frameworks.
HB 359 Property Tax Credit – Urban Agricultural Property – Alterations (Roberson)
HB 359 is unanimous bipartisan legislation that broadens opportunities and economic development for small urban agricultural entities. The bill widens the scope of the urban agricultural tax credit to include beekeeping, compost wasting, indoor and outdoor crop production activities, groundwater protection, community development training opportunities, and more for residents who own up to five acres of land.
HB 798 Economic Development – Small, Minority, and Women-Owned Business Accounts – Management Fees (Small Business Increased Access to Capital Act) (Wolek)
HB 798 prioritizes Maryland small businesses by making it easier for small businesses to access the capital they need to start and grow their businesses. The bill ensures the full utilization of state funds for small loans at or below market rates and increases technical assistance needed by Maryland’s emerging entrepreneurs.
HB161 Property Tax Credit – Retail Service Station Conversions (Ruth)
HB 161 is bipartisan legislation which provides a promising redevelopment tool for small towns across Maryland. It enables local governments to offer tax credit for the redevelopment of abandoned retail service stations, which are currently categorized as brownfields, with the only stipulation that the property cannot be turned into a dollar store.
HB 535 Food Establishments – Cottage Food Businesses – Maximum Annual Revenue (Arentz)
HB 535 is a bipartisan bill increasing the amount of money small businesses may earn as a cottage food industry from 50,000 to $100,000. This will increase the opportunity for farmers to diversify their products.
HB 730 Business Regulation – Maryland Franchise Registration and Disclosure Law – Alterations (Franchise Reform Act) (Korman)
HB 730 is bipartisan legislation to increase economic franchise development in Maryland by updating Maryland franchise laws to make the registration process easier and ensure the process is less burdensome for those seeking to grow their franchises throughout the state.
HB 919 Maryland Higher Education Commission – Practical Applications of Real Estate Appraisal (PAREA) Grant Program – Established (Taylor)
HB 919 establishes a grant program to help individuals train and become real estate appraisers, particularly in historically underserved and underrepresented communities. This bill builds on the partnership between the Maryland Higher Education Commission and Maryland community colleges to establish a pipeline of financial resources aimed expanding access to education and career pathways in the appraisal field.
HB 308 Corporations and Associations – Principal Offices – Private Mailboxes (Qi)
HB 308 is bipartisan legislation allowing small businesses to use a certified mail receiving agency, such as UPS or Mailboxes, as a business address to reduce overhead costs without having to use their home address. As many small businesses don’t need a physical address to do business, this bill brings Maryland in line with the 47 other states allowing this practice.
HB 547 Income Tax – Enhanced Agricultural Management Equipment Subtraction Modification and Parent of a Stillborn Child Credit (Fair)
HB 547 allows for new income tax subtraction modification and credits, including for new equipment added each year to the Enhanced Agricultural Equipment Tax Subtraction Modification program and for parents who have given birth to a stillborn child.
ACCOUNTABILITY
HB 1369 Department of Budget and Management – Audit and Finance Compliance Unit – Establishment (Solomon)
HB 1369 is unanimous bipartisan legislation to ensure taxpayer dollars are managed responsibly and agencies operate more effectively. It strengthens accountability and follow-through within State government while increasing transparency, establishing a new Audit and Finance Compliance Unit within SBM to monitor how Executive Branch agencies correct audit findings from the Office of Legislative Audits (OLA).
HB 1422 State Procurement and Personnel – Liquidated Damages Documentation Requirements and State Fiscal Leadership Capacity (Solomon)
HB 1422 is bipartisan legislation that strengthens financial leadership and accountability in agencies managing billions of taxpayer dollars. It helps prevent financial mismanagement by setting clear qualification standards for top fiscal officers and ensures greater transparency and oversight to improve the process of recovering damages owed under State contracts.
HB 1372 Public Health – Office of Health Care Quality Information and Maryland Health Centralization Commission (Solomon)
HB 1372 is bipartisan legislation that ensures patients and families have access to transparent information about health care facility inspections and quality. Stronger oversight will help ensure that state licensing boards operate efficiently, process applications timely, and resolve audit findings.
HB 945 Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities – Notification of Investigations and Establishment of the Health Care Quality Improvement Initiative (Sample Hughes)
HB 945 strengthens oversight by requiring the Maryland Department of Health to notify and work with local health departments on nursing home complaints. It also establishes a Health Care Quality Improvement Initiative to advance transparency, accountability, and care in assisted living facilities.
HB 1557 Procurement – Department of General Services – Real Estate Advisory Committee (Solomon)
HB 1557 is bipartisan legislation that strengthens oversight of high-cost real estate deals to ensure taxpayers get the best value. It promotes transparency by requiring detailed financial analysis and helps prevent unnecessary costs, above-market lease terms, and poorly justified noncompetitive procurements.
HB 193 – State Procurement – Transparency and Procedures (Kerr)
HB 193 makes important, practical improvements to Maryland’s procurement system – improvements that will increase transparency, fairness, and predictability for both the State and the businesses that seek to work with us. The tightening and restructuring of Maryland’s procurement process will increase efficiency within the system, reducing project delays and cost overruns for the State.
HB 706/SB 828 State Finance – Delinquent Federal Funds (Federal Obligations Enforcement Act) (Moon)
This bill authorizes DBM’s Central Collection Unit to collect federal funds owed to the state, place liens on federal property in the state, and direct the Comptroller’s Office to withhold payments to the federal government if the Board of Public Works determines it to be delinquent in federal funds owed to the state.
HB 671 Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman – Mandatory Appropriation (Shetty)
HB 671 proposes a modest, targeted budget reform to allocate funding to the Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman, which protects the health, safety, dignity, and autonomy of older adults and individuals with disabilities who live in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other long-term care settings.
HB 856 Local School Systems – Educator Screening – Educator Identification Clearinghouse (School Personnel Vetting and Hiring Transparency Act) (Ebersole)
HB 856 advances student safety in Maryland by strengthening transparency and accountability in educator hiring practices. The bill requires every local education agency (LEA) to use the NASDTEC Educator Identification Clearinghouse as part of the process for hiring and reviewing educators.
HB 1420 Health Occupations – Criminal History Records Checks (Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee) (Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee)
HB 1420 is unanimous bipartisan legislation that protects patient safety and public trust by ensuring people in sensitive health care roles meet consistent screening standards across the state. By closing gaps and modernizing oversight, this bill balances safety with fairness while setting uniform rules for licensure.
HB 467 Correctional Services – Maryland Parole Commission and Erroneously Convicted Individuals – Improvements in Transparency and Equity (Embry)
HB 467 reforms the parole process to provide inmates with clear timelines, full disclosure of materials relied on by the Maryland Parole Commission, and more expansive reporting by the Commission.
HB 1148 Property Taxes – Tax Sales, Legacy Protection Program, and Tax Credits (Kaiser)
HB 1148 addresses a gap in Maryland’s property tax system that currently places inherited family homes at risk of tax sale and alters eligibility for the homeowners’ and homestead tax credits to include certain heirs not shown as the record title holder. It also requires the State Tax Sale Ombudsman to publish information about the program and conduct direct outreach to possible heirs.
HB 442 Professional Liability Insurance Coverage – Nursing Homes, Assisted Living Facilities, Nurse Midwives, and Licensed Certified Midwives – Disclosure (Nyeli Rose Lewis Act of 2026) (Kaufman)
HB 442 is bipartisan legislation expanding existing disclosure law to ensure that Marylanders have full transparency when making health care decisions for themselves and their loved ones. The bill does not require facilities to carry malpractice insurance, but it requires disclosure and transparency about whether or not they are so insured. This accountability ensures informed consent when leaving loved ones in the care of uninsured providers, which can lead to devastating circumstances when a loved one suffers harm in an uninsured facility or with an uninsured provider.
HB1335 Department of Information Technology – Information Technology Staffing and Capability Assessment – Independent Study (Kaiser)
HB 1335 is a bipartisan bill that requires DoIT (Department of Information Technology) to conduct a comprehensive study of IT and cybersecurity staffing across the executive branch. The study will evaluate each agency’s technology environment and needs, identify capability gaps, and recommend appropriate roles and staffing models aligned with the IT Master Plan.
CHILD CARE
HB 849 Child Care Scholarship Program – Freeze in Enrollment – Exceptions and Waitlist (Mireku-North)
HB 849 is bipartisan legislation that establishes clearer policies for how families access the Child Care Scholarship Program while the current waitlist is in place. The bill prioritizes families with the greatest financial need and ensures that those facing the most significant barriers to accessing care can continue to access support.
HB 1321 Child Care Scholarship Program – Application Process and Copays – Alterations (Palakovich Carr)
HB 1321 is a bipartisan bill that reforms how families contribute to the cost of childcare while protecting affordability. It authorizes the Maryland State Department of Education to implement a partial scholarship system that gradually adjusts family contributions based on income while ensuring that childcare costs remain affordable.
HB 561 Maryland Child Care Credential Program – Extension of Funding (Palakovich Carr)
HB 561 is bipartisan legislation to help Maryland’s childcare workers obtain professional credentials and advance their career training. Investing in their professional development will help childcare providers stay in the field, strengthen the quality of care, and ensure that families have access to skilled early educators.
PUBLIC HEALTH
HB 1559 Children in Unlicensed Settings and Pediatric Hospital Overstay Patients – Placement (The Speaker)
HB 1559 is unanimous bipartisan legislation to move Maryland toward a more stable, licensed, and trauma-informed system of care for children and families. It ensures that vulnerable children are not housed in inappropriate, unlicensed environments in Maryland. It reduces prolonged hospital stays for youth who are medically cleared but lack safe placement options and strengthens coordination across agencies to address placement shortages and behavioral health needs.
HB 1181 Family Law – Children in Out-of-Home Placement – Voluntary Placement Agreements (Bagnall)
HB 1181 streamlines the Voluntary Placement Agreement process and increases transparency in order to address delays which can often lead to pediatric overstay cases. A voluntary placement agreement (VPA) temporarily places a child in the physical (not legal) custody of the Department of Human Services so they can receive out-of-home care. VPAs allow children desperately in need of care access to residential treatment centers when their families cannot afford it
HB 1563 Emergency Room Services and Post-Acute Care – Coverage and Facility Studies (The Speaker)
HB 1563 is unanimous bipartisan legislation to protect patients in emergencies and help Maryland plan smarter for emergency hospital and post-acute care needs, The studies will focus on hospital and post-acute bed capacity and fulfill the state’s need for clear data on insurance denials and hospital capacity to fix system bottlenecks. It will also examine how to improve hospital discharges and look at ways to move patients safely and efficiently from hospitals to appropriate follow-up care.
HB 1062 Estates and Trusts – Jurisdiction Over Property of Minors or Disabled Persons – Authorized Transactions (Embry)
HB 1062 will reduce hospital Emergency Rooms wait times by allowing hospitals to determine an incapacitated person’s insurance eligibility to support moving them from the hospital to the appropriate medical setting. The bill was the recommendation of a workgroup of hospitals, disability rights advocates, and others to reduce wait times in Maryland’s hospitals throughout the state.
HB 1109 Public Health Reform Act
HB 1109 is an important step forward in Maryland’s goal to modernize the public health system and prepare for the future of public health. It seeks to implement many of the recommendations described in the Report of the Maryland Public Health Commission, which was established by legislation to bring together expertise from across Maryland’s health public health system to assess gaps in our public health infrastructure. This legislation will create the framework to realize the vision of an integrated, world class public health system.
HB 1364 Public Health – Mammograms – Arterial Calcification Notice (Peña-Melnyk)
HB 1364 is unanimous bipartisan legislation that will use medical information found in mammograms to save Maryland women’s lives. This bill will require notification to women in their mammogram results letter if a solid, non-invasive marker for cardiovascular disease risk is present. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States. When women are provided with information about increased cardiovascular risk, they can be proactive about the findings and take steps to live a longer healthier life.
HB 1365 – Health Occupations and Insurance – Menopause – Provider Training and Coverage Requirements (Peña-Melnyk)
HB 1365 is bipartisan legislation that will improve the quality of women’s health care by requiring insurance coverage for menopause treatment. The bill will also allow certified or licensed health care providers who are required to complete continuing education to receive double credits for continuing education on menopause and menopause-related symptoms.
HB 372 Hospitals – Emergency Pregnancy-Related Medical Conditions – Procedures (Lopez)
HB 372 ensures the safety of all pregnant Maryland women by codifying the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) into state law. Doctors must be able to act immediately when faced with an emergency pregnancy complication, and this bill ensures hospitals stabilize and treat patients when every second counts.
HB 1377 Prescription Drug Repository Program – Redirecting Safe Prescription Drugs Pilot Program (Kaiser)
HB 1377 is a bipartisan bill that establishes the Redirecting Safe Prescription Drugs Pilot Program to allow eligible medications collected at selected Take Back sites to be identified and redirected to Maryland’s existing licensed repositories. Rather than creating a new system, the pilot builds on Maryland’s established drug repository infrastructure and maintains all current safety, storage, and dispensing requirements, ensuring that patient protection remains paramount.
HB 633/SB 551 Health Insurance – Ovarian Cancer Prevention with Salpingectomy – Required Coverage (Hill)
HB 633 is a bipartisan bill that will help save Maryland women’s lives. The bill ensures that women who have gene markers for ovarian cancer, the deadliest form of gyn cancer, will be covered by insurance when their doctors prescribe the removal of the fallopian tube to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer.
HB 813/SB 496 Maryland Medical Assistance Program – Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity – Authorization (Martinez)
HB 813 is bipartisan legislation authorizing Medicaid coverage for GLP1 obesity management drugs. Expanding access to evidence-based treatment will lower obesity rates, prevent costly complications including diabetes and heart disease, reduce long-term Medicaid spending, and protect low-income Marylanders from the financial and health consequences of unmanaged obesity.
HB 1012 Public Health – Local Suicide Fatality Review Teams – Authorization (Fair)
HB 1012 allows local jurisdictions to set up suicide fatality review teams to review individual cases of suicide and make critical policy recommendations that will decrease the rates of suicide in our jurisdictions.
HB 393 Health Insurance – Scalp Cooling Systems – Required Coverage (Nkongolo)
HB 393 is bipartisan legislation requiring that breast cancer patients receive coverage for scalp cooling treatments administered while undergoing chemotherapy. Scalp cooling is an FDA-approved, non-invasive medical procedure which restricts blood flow to hair follicles during chemotherapy treatments and helps reduce the devastating effects of hair loss on breast cancer patients’ emotional well-being, self-image, and overall quality of life.
HB 445 Maryland Medical Assistance Program and Health Insurance – Coverage for Orthoses and Prostheses (So Every Body Can Move Act) (Martinez)
HB 445 is bipartisan legislation expanding the current mandated benefit for coverage of orthopedic braces to provide comprehensive coverage (and replacement) for all orthoses. Expanding coverage for orthoses and prostheses means every body can move in Maryland—with dignity, independence, and lower out-of-pocket costs.
HB 280 Health Insurance – Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders – Codification of Federal Requirements (Chair, Health Committee)
HB 280 will save families and individuals from the burden of expensive out–of–pocket costs for the treatment of mental health and substance use disorders. As the federal government has announced they would no longer enforce the federal rule on mental health parity and addiction equity or pursue enforcement on failure to comply, codifying these rules in state law allows the Maryland Insurance Administration to enforce these provisions regardless of whether the federal government revises or rescinds the policy.
HB 446 Health – Dementia Services and Brain Health Program and Provider Resource Toolkit (Martinez)
HB 466 increases the support and promotion of standardized dementia care throughout Maryland. The bill will provide healthcare providers across the state with the tools and collated resources to educate their patients and link them with resources for planning and treatment. Building a strong foundation and creating an infrastructure of communication and sharing of practices throughout the state will increase early detection rates and quality of care for Alzheimer’s and other dementia diseases.
HB 672 Public Health – Maryland Pediatric Cancer Fund – Entities Eligible for Grants (Shetty)
HB 672 is bipartisan legislation that directs eligibility for the annual Maryland Pediatric Cancer Research fund to include only nonprofit research entities. Ensuring that these funds can be awarded promptly to expert nonprofit research entities will accelerate discovery, support clinical trials, and shorten the timeline from scientific innovation to patient benefit for children with cancer.
HB 1087 Health Care Facilities – Surgical Smoke – Smoke Evacuation Systems (S. Johnson)
HB 1987 requires Maryland hospitals to require an evacuation system for procedures that generate surgical smoke. Many surgeries involve cauterizing a wound, which creates smoke containing carcinogenic chemicals, bacteria, and sometimes even tissue particles, posing serious health risks to patients and staff.
HB 1533 Public Health – Cosmetic Products – Enforcement and Penalties for Prohibited Ingredients (Crown and Care Act – Protecting Communities from Harmful Hair Chemicals) (Alston)
HB 1533 ensures that all Marylanders have the right to safe products that are free from harmful chemical products that are already banned in the state. It gives the Attorney General increased enforcement mechanisms to sue retailers who are continuing to sell these products in violation of state law.
FOSTER CARE
HB 980 Family Law and Human Services – Guardianship Assistance Program and State Foster Youth Ombudsman – Establishment (Kanaiyah’s Law) (Griffith)
HB 980 is unanimous bipartisan legislation to protect foster children in Maryland who are vulnerable and need placement in settings that will protect them. It requires the Secretary of Human Services to establish and maintain a Guardianship Assistance Program to promote the placement and maintenance of children in permanent guardianship homes. The bill also establishes the State Foster Youth Ombudsman in the Department of Human Services to ensure that every child in state custody is placed in a licensed, secure setting.
HB 396 Residential Child Care Programs – Education of Children and Training of Child and Youth Care Practitioners (Pasteur)
HB 396 is unanimous bipartisan legislation requiring operators of childcare programs in the foster care system to undergo certain training of educational support for children who have special education needs. The bill sets guidelines for programs and for building relationships between the foster home staff and schools so that children who are dealing with wide-ranging emotional trauma will have a stable support system to give them the help they need.
EDUCATION
HB 535 Maryland Phone-Free Schools Act (Boafo)
HB 535 ensures that Maryland classrooms are distraction-free environments where students can stay focused, engaged, and set up for success. It requires each county to develop and adopt a policy that prohibits the use of electronic devices during the academic school day, allowing exceptions for medical, educational, and disability accommodations.
HB 6 – Public Institutions of Higher Education – Pregnant and Parenting Students – Plan and Reporting (Kerr)
HB 6 increases statewide understanding of the needs of student parents by requiring consistent data collection and expanding support-plan requirements to all public colleges. College students who are parenting dependent children face unique challenges that have a profound impact on successful completion of their degree programs, and this legislation will improve access to accommodations, services, and equity.
HB 1530 – Higher Education – Undocumented Students – Tuition Eligibility (Woorman)
HB 1530 makes it easier for undocumented students to access in-state tuition by reducing burdensome documentation requirements. It helps ensure that students who have grown up in Maryland can pursue higher education and contribute to our state’s future.
HB 311 Public Schools – Individuals with Disabilities – Accessibility and Emergency Planning (Kaufman)
HB 311 is unanimous bipartisan legislation ensuring that emergency preparedness works for every student in Maryland schools. For students with disabilities, accessibility to exits during an emergency is essential, and this bill strengthens existing school safety practices by requiring that schools identify accessibility issues for students with disabilities as part of their routine safety regulations and emergency planning.
HB 972 Maryland Fair and Agricultural Education Promise Fund – Establishment ( Charles J. Otto Agricultural Education Promise Act) (Miller)
HB 972 is bipartisan legislation honoring the late Delegate Charles Otto and establishing funding to enhance statewide agricultural education and agricultural fairs. The programs will promote tourism, future farmer career development programs, and educational opportunities for children in rural communities.
HB 319 County Boards of Education – Student Transportation – Sunset Repeal and Study (Sample-Hughes)
HB 319 makes permanent the authority for County boards of education to use alternative vehicles for student transportation.
HB 828 State Board of Education – Membership – Employee of a County Board of Education (Ebersole)
HB828 expands the ability for an Educational Support Personnel to become a member of the State Board of Education.
HB 358 Sales and Use Tax – Elementary or Secondary School Book Fairs – Exemption (Palakovich Carr)
HB 358 clarifies that school book fairs are exempt from sales tax. Many school PTAs hold book fairs to promote student reading and to raise money for school activities. Even though these are fundraisers held by a non-profit (the PTA), state law still requires sales tax to be collected. The bill ensures that PTAs can focus on promoting reading rather than navigating state tax law.
HB 478 Income Tax – Subtraction Modification for Classroom Supplies Purchased by Teachers – Alteration (Patterson)
HB 478 addresses an inequity in Maryland’s tax code which currently excludes full time prekindergarten teachers from the existing educator expense income tax deduction to help offset unreimbursed classroom expenses. As Maryland continues to expand access to early childhood education it is critical that our policies reflect the value of early learning and the educators who make it possible.
HOUSING
HB 548 Land Use – Permitting – Development Rights (Maryland Housing Certainty Act) (Behler)
HB 548 is a permitting reform bill to make clearer, more transparent rules for those seeking to build housing here in the State. The legislation will accelerate housing production by locking in housing codes and regulations at the time a project application is submitted, ensuring that approved housing developments are not derailed by after-approval rule changes.
HB 894 Land Use – Transit-Oriented Development – Alterations (Maryland Transit and Housing Opportunity Act)
HB 894 focuses on transit-oriented development in Maryland. A we have already prioritized transit-oriented development around our fixed rail transit stations. That is something that has not happened all across the state.
HB 573 Fair Housing and Housing Discrimination – Regulations, Intent, and Discriminatory Effect (Taveras)
HB 573 assures that Maryland upholds and enforces federal fair housing standards, protecting fair housing at the state level and protecting against any rollback at the federal level.
HB 85 Corporations and Associations – Cooperative Limited Equity Housing Corporations – Establishment (Charkoudian)
HB 85 is bipartisan legislation increasing housing affordability by allowing residents to more easily convert their resident-owned buildings into limited-equity cooperatives (LEHC) so homes stay affordable over time. HB 85 creates a clear, simple path for residents to pursue conversion while requiring transparent budgets and maintenance reserves to ensure future success.
HB 571 Nonprofit Housing Corporations – Taxes and Special Assessments Exemptions – Alterations (Allen)
HB 571 will modernize Maryland’s tax exemption framework to better support nonprofit affordable housing developers. It respects local authority, reflects real-world development practice, and strengthens Maryland’s nonprofit affordable housing sector at a time when the need has never been greater.
HB 753 Tax Sales – Homeowner Protections – Revisions (Lehman)
HB 753 will strengthen Maryland’s tax-sale protections by letting homeowners designate a family member or representative to work with the State Tax Sale Ombudsman, keeping their homes out of tax sale if the owner has a documented terminal illness or medical hardship.
PROTECTING TENANT RIGHTS
HB1221 Public Safety – Short-Term Rental Units – Safety (Jillian and Lindsay Wiener Short-Term Rental Safety Act) (Foley)
HB 1221 is bipartisan legislation which requires short-term rental units to be equipped with working basic fire and carbon monoxide protection devices. It also requires a posted evacuation plan, a listing of contacts for emergency responders, and a working fire extinguisher. Once enacted, it will be the first statewide law of its kind in the country. This bill is named after Jillian and Lindsay Wiener, two Maryland sisters who perished in a house fire while vacationing with their family at a short-term rental in New York State.
HB 153/SB 12 Residential Rental Apartments – Air-Conditioning Requirement (Lehman)
HB 153 requires landlords to provide functioning air conditioning in larger apartment buildings during the summer months. It expands opportunity by ensuring safe, livable housing conditions so families, seniors, and children can live and thrive in healthy environments.
HB 315 Human Relations – Discrimination in Housing – Income-Based Housing Subsidies (Stewart)
HB 315 improves fair housing practices by prohibiting tenant screenings designed to exclude those receiving housing assistance.
HB 220 Environment – Water – Individual Submeters (Charkoudian)
HB 220 expands renter protections by implementing fair charging for water bills in apartment buildings. The bill authorizes landlords to install separate water meters for each apartment to ensure that tenants only pay what they actually owe and helps ensure that no one will lose their home due to unpaid water bills.
HB 1137 Residential-in-Commercial-Zone Laws – Study (Bring Back Main Street Act) (Allen)
HB 1137 will study expanding housing in areas where the infrastructure already exists –adaptive reuse to revitalize areas that need reinvestment and bring new life to areas where large commercial buildings have outlived their use. Creating mixed-use housing near job hubs could create a built-in customer base for local small businesses, reduce traffic, and generate a long term tax base for Maryland counties.
TRANSPORTATION
HB 1081 Maryland Transit Administration Reform Act (Korman)
HB 1081 is bipartisan legislation to strengthen and improve our statewide transit agency. The bill implements the recommendations of the workgroup that studied the reform of the Maryland Transit Administration last year.
HB 1504 Highways – Sidewalks and Bicycle Pathways – Construction and Reconstruction (The Honorable Anne Healey Pedestrian Safety Act of 2026) (Healey)
HB1504 is unanimous bipartisan legislation to meet the goal of Vision Zero, the plan to make roadways safer for drivers and passengers of motor vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians and to have zero vehicle-related deaths or serious injuries on roadways by 2030. This bill prioritizes funding for the construction and reconstruction of sidewalks and bicycle pathways to sidewalks and bicycle pathways that are, or are adjacent to, highways that are subject to a Vision Zero program.
HB 405 Condominiums and Homeowners Associations – Governing Documents – Electric Vehicle Recharging Equipment (Terrasa)
HB 405 makes it more feasible for Marylanders to own an electric vehicle when they live in a community that doesn’t have assigned parking. This bill supports the adoption of more EVs and helps advance the state’s climate goals.
HB 474 Vehicle Laws – Dangerous Accumulations of Snow and Ice – Removal From Exposed Vehicle Surfaces (Clear Before You Drive Act) (Patterson)
HB 474 requires drivers to remove snow and ice from their vehicles before driving to prevent debris from injuring others or causing crashes. The law applies to both commercial and non-commercial vehicles and is enforced only when damage occurs or as a secondary offense, with graduated fines to promote safety without over-penalization.
ENVIRONMENT
HB 870 Environment – Permit Applications for New Buildings – Notice (Large Buildings for Tomorrow Act) (Korman)
HB 870 ensures that new buildings being built in Maryland comply with existing law for large buildings to reduce emissions. Under this legislation, the Maryland Department of the Environment will help the developers of large buildings comply with Maryland’s environmental laws.
HB 395 Water Pollution Control – Discharge Permits – Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (Boyce)
HB 395 is a unanimous bipartisan bill to fix the gap in the discharge permit renewal process issued by the Maryland Department of the Environment. The legislation will prevent losses across the shore from permitting delays for the owners of concentrated animal feeding operations and provide MDE with the discretion needed to approve projects in the pipeline.
HB 925 Sewage Sludge – Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances – Regulation (Stein)
HB 925 is bipartisan legislation to reduce the amount of PFAS making its way into our air, water, land, and food. The bill will establish reasonable evidence-based limits for certain PFAS in biosolids, which will also activate pretreatment authorities to address PFAS under the Clean Water Act of 2025 to limit PFAS content in biosolids from wastewater treatment plants that have land applications.
HB 663 Department of the Environment – Federal Policy on Greenhouse Gas Emissions – Reporting (Rosenberg)
HB 663 requires the Department of the Environment to notify the General Assembly on any changes to the federal regulatory process from the federal administration that may be harmful to the environment.
HB 947 Department of Natural Resources – Commercial Blue and Flathead Catfish Finfish Trotline License – Alterations (Sample-Hughes)
HB 947 is bipartisan legislation to reduce and control the invasive blue catfish’s exponential spread in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. The bill will equip Maryland’s watermen with the proper tools to maximize their harvest and will establish a pilot program to study the responsible, environmentally conscious, and economically beneficial approach to deal with this critical issue facing the Bay.
HB 578 Fish and Wildlife – Endangered and Threatened Species and Migratory Birds – Regulations, Lists, Petitions, Essential Habitats, and Takings (Palakovich Carr)
HB 578 enshrined into state law federal Endangered Species Act protections to ensure that Maryland continues to provide the same level of protection for rare species as the entire country did for years. At a time when the Trump Administration is actively rolling back federal protections for endangered and threatened species, it’s more important than ever that Maryland have strong environmental protection laws.
HB 35 Local Government – Regulatory Powers – Regulation of Tree of Heaven (Foley)
HB 35 is bipartisan legislation enabling local counties to treat the spread of invasive, non-native species by allowing them to adopt ordinances which reflect their unique land use patterns and enforcement capabilities. It also ensures that tree replacements programs reintroduce native species to restore biodiversity. The bill is a proactive step towards protecting Maryland’s environment, safeguarding infrastructure, and supporting our agricultural economy by empowering local governments to manage invasive plant eradication responsibly.
HB 429 On-Farm Organics and Wasted Food Reduction and Diversion Grant Programs – Established (Boyce)
HB 429 established grant programs to fill gaps in the state’s programming around organic waste diversion and to encourage food waste diversion, composting and recycling wasted food.
HB 175 Income Tax Credit – Venison Donation – Alterations (Ziegler)
HB 175 is bipartisan legislation that increases the opportunity to bring good protein to local Maryland food banks while also addressing the problem of deer-overpopulation in certain areas of the state. The bill increases the maximum tax credit an individual may claim for donating venison to food banks or other charitable organizations. Maryland’s existing venison donation tax credit plays an important role in deer management — this bill aims to expand this already successful program, while also encouraging more donations to food banks at a time when they are experiencing increased demand.
HB 1267 Patuxent Research Refuge (PRR) and Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) – Zoning Classification (Protecting Patuxent Research Refuge Act) (Lehman)
HB 1267 requires the zoning authorities of Prince Geroge’s and Anne Arundel Counties to keep the Patuxent Research Refuge and Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in zoning categories to limit development and preserve open-space/conservation uses. If at some point the federal government sells or leases the land, the restrictive zoning would continue in perpetuity.
HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE
HB 340 School Psychologist Interstate Licensure Compact (Mireku-North)
HB 340 is unanimous bipartisan legislation that addresses the alarming lack of school psychologists throughout Maryland. By joining a multistate compact with states that have comparable licensing standards and reciprocal licensing agreements, Maryland will streamline the process to hire appropriately qualified professional psychologists from other states. The bill also facilitates the relocation of military spouses who are licensed to provide school psychological services. This bill allows Maryland to recognize school psychologist licenses from other participating states, making it easier to recruit qualified professionals. It expands opportunity by helping schools fill critical mental health positions and ensuring students receive the behavioral health services support they need.
HB 769 State Board of Social Work Examiners – Provisional License to Practice Social Work – Established (Woods)
HB 769 is bipartisan legislation which will help fill urgent vacancies across our heath establishing in responsible and practical ways. The bill ensures a structured, supervised pathway and consistent standards to strengthen transparency and improve access to behavioral healthcare.
HB 595 Income Tax – Credit for Physician Preceptors in Areas with Health Care Workforce Shortages – Alterations (Lewis)
HB 595 is bipartisan legislation to help alleviate the shortage of rural health workers. The bill was brought by healthcare mentors who work with students in rural areas. Reducing the time frame from 100 hours to 90 hours for nurses to qualify for a tax break will help bring new nurses into the profession.
HB 619 Interstate Podiatric Medical Licensure Compact (Cullison)
HB 619 is unanimous bipartisan legislation that addresses Maryland’s growing need for podiatrists by modernizing the podiatric licensure process. It will increase accessibility to podiatric services by establishing a voluntary expedited pathway for podiatrists who are licensed in one member state to have their licensure recognized by another member state, with a minimum of four states in the compact.
HB 377 Physician Assistants – Parity with Other Health Care Practitioners (S. Johnson)
HB 377 is unanimous bipartisan legislation that strengthens rural healthcare access and updates state law to reflect the role physician assistants (PAs) play in modern healthcare by adding them to statutes where other clinicians are already recognized. The bill can help hospitals reduce emergency department wait times by allowing PAs to provide a required second signature for voluntary admissions. It also supports rural providers by empowering PAs to practice at the top of their license to expand access in underserved areas.
SENIORS
HB 945 Nursing Homes – Complaints – Notification and Consultation (Sample-Hughes)
HB 945 is a unanimous bipartisan public health and accountability legislation that requires the Maryland Department of Health to consult with the local county health department within 24 hours if the Department initiates an investigation of a nursing home alleging actual harm.
HB 811 Aging-in-Place Programs – Grants – Multigenerational Third Places (The Village Multigenerational Third Places Act) (Wolek)
HB 811 is bipartisan legislation that strengthens opportunities for social connection within existing aging in place programs to increase the quality of life for Maryland seniors. This bill allows the Department of Aging to make grants to nonprofit organizations and area agencies on aging to support social connections through events or gatherings at multigenerational third places.
HB 278 Human Services – Department of Aging and Commission on Aging (The Longevity Ready Maryland Act)
The Longevity Ready Maryland Act is a bipartisan bill to help seniors better navigate the state health care and housing systems. It codifies the Longevity Ready Maryland Act, a comprehensive plan to elevate the needs of Maryland’s seniors and empower them to thrive, as the number of Maryland residents over age 60 is projected to surpass a quarter of the state’s population in the next ten years.
JUDICIARY
HB 351 Civil Actions – Violation of Constitutional Rights (No Kings Act) (Charkoudian)
HB 351 will allow an aggrieved party to bring action against any individual who, under the color of law, deprived them of their rights provided by the Constitution.
HB 497 Criminal Procedure – Immigration Arrest – Immunity in Connection With Court Proceeding (Rosenberg)
HB 497 extends the length of time between Temporary and Final Protective Orders from seven to fourteen days and establishes possible financial relief provisions.
HB187 Criminal Procedure – Expungement – No Finding and Case Terminated Without Finding (Taylor)
HB 187 expands expungement eligibility for cases that were resolved with a “no finding” or case “terminated without finding,” correcting an unintended procedural anomaly that has created disparate treatment based solely on geography. This ensures that thousands of Prince George’s County residents have the same expungement opportunities as defendants in other jurisdictions. These individuals, despite having fully expungable offenses and having completed their sentences, faced ongoing barriers to housing, employment, professional licensing, and other opportunities.
HB 750 Criminal Law – Obstruction or Interference With Exercise of Religious Beliefs – Prohibition (Rosenberg)
HB 750 addresses the rising numbers of crimes motivated by the victims’ religion in Maryland. The bill makes it a crime to intentionally interfere with or obstruct someone from exercising their constitutionally protected religious beliefs, adding to the crimes which can be charged against perpetrators who are motivated by their victim’s religion.
HB 491 Criminal Procedure – Victims of Sexually Assaultive Behavior – Request for Verbal Acknowledgement (Phillips)
HB 491addresses a critical gap in how we protect survivors of sexual assault by ensuring that the waiver process protections cannot be circumvented through informal practices. Survivors deserve a system that prioritizes their safety, dignity, accountability, and autonomy.
HB 216 – Criminal Law – Benefits Exploitation (Kaufman)
HB 216 establishes new criminal penalties for individuals who exploit vulnerable populations by recruiting, coercing, or manipulating them to surrender government benefits. It closes a critical gap in Maryland law and strengthens protections against financial exploitation and trafficking-like conduct while holding all involved parties accountable.
HB 403/SB 426 Public Information Act – Divorce Records (Simpson)
This bill protects divorce records from being disclosed to anyone who is not actually a part of the case. This bill ensures that Marylanders who are going through a divorce do not have to be worried that their personal information becomes public.
HB 634 Police Training – Autism and Dementia (LEAD Act of 2026) (Kaufman)
HB 634 strengthens Maryland’s emergency response to wandering and elopement incidents involving individuals with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities by standardizing disability-informed training across law enforcement, EMS, and 9-1-1 dispatch and improving coordination during time-critical emergencies. This legislation improves coordination across first responders and ensures safer, more effective responses during time-sensitive emergencies.
HB 687/SB 475 Criminal Procedure – Evidence – Protecting Artists’ Creative Expression (PACE Act) (Amprey)
This bill establishes clear guidelines for when artistic expression can be admitted in court, ensuring that creative works are not misinterpreted as fact or weaponized against artists. It protects free expression while maintaining fairness in the legal process, reinforcing that Maryland values both justice and creativity. The bill requires the court to apply certain clear evidentiary standards before admitting evidence, strengthening the integrity of the judicial process while preserving both public safety and constitutional protections. Ensuring that bad evidence is not being introduced in court will save taxpayer time and money and ensure that artists, particularly those in historically marginalized communities, can create without fear and that their words will not be misused against them in a courtroom.
HB 65 Estates and Trusts – Fiduciaries – Attorney-Client Privilege (Cardin)
HB 65 clarifies the terms of attorney-client privilege. It ensures that the source of payment for legal representation does not affect the confidentiality of those communications.
INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS/REENTRY
HB 507/SB 305 Qualifying Nonprofit Organizations – Incarcerated Individual Training and Reentry Grant Fund – Extension (Ruff)
This bill extends the authorization of funds for job and skill training programs for incarcerated individuals. Training and reentry grants have proven to be highly successful in helping formerly incarcerated individuals finish their served time with marketable job skills and successful reentry.
HB108 – Division of Correction – Volunteer Services Program (Pasteur)
HB 108 establishes the Volunteer Services Program in the Division of Correction for the purpose of providing access to volunteers, including formerly incarcerated individuals, to assist incarcerated individuals with release preparation.
HB 115 Election Law – Individuals Released From State Correctional Facilities – Automatic Restoration of Voter Registration (Wilkins)
HB 115 expands access to the fundamental right to vote for Marylanders upon their release from incarceration. The bill requires the State Board of Elections to automatically reactivate voter registration immediately upon release from incarceration, removing this barrier to civic engagement and voting for Maryland’s returning citizens.
HB 935/SB 187 Correctional Services – Comprehensive Rehabilitative Prerelease Services – Female Incarcerated Individuals (Crutchfield)
This bill will ensure that the promise that Maryland made years ago to build a prerelease center for women, which has been delayed, is actually delivered. The prerelease center will provide incarcerated women the services they need to come out after their sentence is served with respect, preparation, and the promise of a second chance.
HISTORICAL JUSTICE
HB 552 Commission on the House of Reformation and Instruction for Colored Children- Establishment (J. Long)
HB 552 honors lives that were forgotten and confronts a painful chapter of Maryland’s history with honesty and responsibility. It establishes a commission to conduct an independent investigation into the House of Reformation and Instruction for Colored Children. Children who died at the facility were buried on state land in Cheltenham near the former site. HB 552 affirms that Maryland is committed to historical justice, restoring dignity, and ensuring that this history will no longer be ignored.
IMMIGRATION
HB 444 Public Safety – Immigration Enforcement Agreements – Prohibition (Williams)
HB 444 bars local law enforcement agencies from entering into 287(g) agreements—or any similar contracts—that deputize local officers to perform the work of federal immigration agents. Counties with existing agreements will be required to terminate them immediately.
HB 351 Constitutional Rights – Violations and Digital Unmasking (Moon)
HB 351 ensures that citizens of Maryland whose rights are violated by a federal agent have recourse. It allows the Attorney General or an individual to sue and seek damages against a federal officer who violates the rights or privileges of a person under the U.S. Constitution. This “digital unmasking” of federal agent misconduct includes license plate, cell tower location, GPS, facial recognition, etc. to support a claim.
HB 1575/SB 791 Correctional Services and Public Safety – Immigration Enforcement – Prohibitions (Community Trust Act) (Phillips)
This bill limits the state of Maryland’s cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It closes a loophole that lets local law enforcement agencies and jails detain individuals based on their immigration status and requests from ICE by requiring that ICE would need a judicial warrant to compel action from the state.
HB 1341/SB 10 Enforcement – Expanding Sensitive Locations, Notification, and Guidance (Maryland Values Act of 2026) (Ebersole)
This bill updates current Maryland law by including courthouses to the list of sensitive locations to ensure that the areas past security are off limits for federal immigration enforcement. Additionally, it expands sensitive locations to include school bus stops, school buses, and food distribution sites. It also prevents education personnel from sharing information and data (whether data or anecdotal) with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
HB 1017 Correctional Services – Private Immigration Detention Facilities – Zoning Requirement (Wells)
HB 1017 is a zoning transparency bill which demands honest language in land-use decisions. It creates a clear statewide rule instead of county-by-county guesswork to ensure that a private detention facility can’t be approved unless the zoning code explicitly allows it. Requires explicit zoning authorization for a private immigration detention facility – broad, inclusive phrases won’t work.
CONSUMER PROTECTION
HB 711 Data Privacy – Consumer Data, Public Records, and Message Switching System (Data Privacy Act) (Charkoudian)
HB 711 will ensure that Marylanders’ sensitive data is shielded from unwarranted federal surveillance and misuse. It ensures that Maryland’s counties, state agencies, and public servants who have access to private data can only share it under a judicial warrant or for reasons under the Private Information Act. This prohibits both sharing private data for civil immigration enforcement purposes and the selling of private data by data broker companies to the federal government.
HB 895 Food Retailers and Third-Party Delivery Service Providers – Dynamic Pricing and Personal Data (Protection From Predatory Pricing Act) (Speaker)
HB 895 is consumer protection legislation to keep grocery prices affordable and predictable, ensuring the need for price transparency over using algorithms to determine how much a customer might be willing to pay. The bill bans food retailers from using dynamic and surveillance pricing, a cost-setting method where prices are inflated based on time of day, weather conditions and personal data,
HB 994 Don’t You Worry (Wurie) Act (Boafo)
HB 994 is a consumer protection bill that honors Alhaji and Haja Wurie by holding travel companies accountable and protecting other Maryland families. It requires travel providers to file annual proof of financial security with the state and strengthens state oversight of group travel providers to better protect consumers.
HB 306 Vehicle Laws – Manufacturers and Dealers – Prices Listed on Dealer Websites (Jack Fitzgerald Price Transparency Act) (Qi)
HB 306 is bipartisan consumer protection and transparency legislation which ensures that the price listed on dealers’ website accurately discloses that the price at the dealership may actually be lower. The bill reflects modern consumer behaviors and ensures that consumers who shop online are given accurate information on possible cost savings.
HB1395 Consumer Protection – Agricultural Equipment Warranties (Jacobs)
HB 1395 is unanimous consumer protection legislation for Maryland farmers. It extends the protection and warranties on high-priced farm machinery equipment, in the same manner as vehicle ‘lemon law’ legislation which currently does not exist for agricultural equipment.
WORKER PROTECTION
HB 862 Railroads – Required Crew for Movement of Freight (Stein)
HB 862 requires that freight trains that share tracks with high-speed passenger rail be staffed with a minimum of a two-person crew operating the train. Having a minimum of a two-person crew operating trains throughout the State is vital for trains safely – in the event of an emergency, having a second crew member on board the train to serve as the incident commander is crucial.
HB 45/SB 417 Maryland Worker Freedom Act (Vogel)
This bill protects employees from retaliation if they choose not to attend employer-sponsored meetings on religious or political matters, including unionization. This ensures that workers can remain focused on their job duties, not their employer’s opinion, and that they can do so without fearing consequences.
HB 347 Workers’ Compensation – Occupational Disease Presumptions – Hypertension (Pruski)
HB 347 expands a workers’ compensation occupational disease presumption for specified public safety employees who have hypertension. It establishes guidelines for an employee to demonstrate disablement from the hypertension, which is generally required to receive compensation benefits.
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
HB 388 Baltimore County Public Library – Collective Bargaining – Supervisory Employees (Forbes)
HB 386 promotes equitable treatment by granting supervisory employees the same rights to collective bargaining as other Baltimore County Library staff members, ensuring all voices are heard in organizational decisions.
HB 141 State Personnel – Collective Bargaining – Graduate Assistants (Foley)
HB 141gives University of Maryland graduate assistants the right to collectively bargain, making it legal for graduate assistants at UM and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County to negotiate directly with administrators over wages, hours, and working conditions.
HB 106/SB 6 State Personnel – Collective Bargaining – Nontenure Track Faculty (Foley)
This bill gives non-tenure track faculty the right to form recognized unions at Maryland’s public universities, as currently only the state’s community college faculty can unionize.
ELECTIONS
HB 350/SB 255 Voting Rights Act of 2026 – Counties and Municipal Corporations (Wims)
This bill enacts strong protections to ensure Black voters, other voters of color, and all Marylanders with disabilities can fully participate in the electoral process free from discrimination.
HB 263 Election Law – Early Voting Centers – Bus Stops (Chair, Government, Labor and Elections Committee)
HB 263 is bipartisan legislation local requiring that local fixed-route buses operating within ½ mile of an early voting center must stop at that center while it is open for early voting. By ensuring direct public transit access to these early voting centers, the bill expands opportunities for working families, seniors, students, and historically disenfranchised communities to participate in the democratic process.
HB 182 Election Law – Presidential Electors – Selection and Voting (Stein)
Hb 182 establishes procedures to prevent “faithless” presidential electors—electors who cast ballots for candidates other than those they were pledged to support. Maryland currently lacks an enforceable mechanism to address a situation in which an elector fails to vote for the presidential or vice-presidential candidate of the party that nominated them. House Bill 182 addresses this gap by providing that an elector who fails to cast the required vote is deemed to have vacated the office.
BUSINESS REGULATION
HB 963 – Registers of Wills – Appointment of Personal Representatives (Woorman)
HB 963 removes the outdated citizenship requirement for serving as a personal representative of an estate. It was brought into sharp focus after the Key Bridge collapse, when a widow was unable to manage her late spouse’s affairs due to her immigration status. This legislation ensures that qualified individuals, regardless of citizenship, can carry out a loved one’s final affairs while maintaining all existing safeguards and oversight.
HB 1026 – Business Regulation – Rounding Cash Transactions – Authorization (Queen)
Due to the U.S. penny shortage, HB 1026 proposes a consistent approach with handling the rounding of transactions for merchants when accepting cash payments. The bill will offer clarity for both businesses and consumers.
HUMAN TRAFFICKING
HB 829 Public Utilities – For-Hire Drivers and Transportation Network Operators – Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Training and Liability (Ebersole)
HB 839 is bipartisan legislation to strengthen Maryland’s response to human trafficking. Since trafficking often involves transportation between locations, drivers may be among the few neutral third parties to encounter a victim outside the trafficker’s immediate control. This bill requires awareness training for licensed taxicab drivers, for-hire drivers and transportation network drivers.
VETERANS/MILITARY FAMILIES
HB 102 Education – Dependent Children of Active Service Members – Advance Enrollment Procedures (Patterson)
HB 102 is unanimous bipartisan legislation that allows eligible military-connected students to enroll in Maryland public schools remotely, without fees or in-person requirements. This bill will help prevent enrollment delays for students with disabilities. HB 420/SB242
HB 232 Maryland Military Department – National Guard – Tuition Assistance
HB 232 expands tuition assistance for active members of the Maryland National Guard to include the use of trade and career schools.
HB 623 Education – Purple Star Schools Program and Purple Star Colleges Program (Patterson)
HB623 promotes opportunity for military families by helping students complete their degrees, navigate frequent moves, and access stable career pathways – resulting in educational attainment and workforce participation in Maryland.
HB 720 Higher Education – Douglas J. J. Peters Veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq Conflicts Scholarship – Repeal of Termination Date (Patterson)
HB 720 extends the Douglas J. J. Peters Veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq Conflicts Scholarship, providing long-term certainty for eligible service members and their families
COMMEMORATIVE LEGISLATION
HB 661 Months – Muslim American Heritage and Jewish American Heritage Months (Wolek)
HB 661 encourages inclusion and public awareness as it requires the Governor to proclaim January as Muslim American Heritage month and May as Jewish American Heritage month