Special Session of General Assembly Sends New Redistricting Criteria to Referendum In November

The General Assembly met on August 3 and 4 to discuss Congressional redistricting and approved a bill to amend the Maryland State Constitution. This amendment will be on the ballot this November, so you’ll want to have a clear understanding of what you’ll be voting on.

              Currently (Article III, Section 4) of the Maryland Constitution states that all legislative districts shall consist of “adjoining territory, be compact and be compact in form…due regard shall be given to natural boundaries and the boundaries of political subdivisions.” As written, this applies to both U.S. Congressional districts and Maryland Legislature (Senate and House of Delegates) districts.

The bill that was approved, HB 2100, specifies that the criteria of “compact” districts instead would apply only to the State Senate and Delegate districts, not to Congressional districts. Voter approval in November means this amendment to the state constitution goes into effect in the future.

What a Yes vote on this amendment does:  Starting in 2027, the MD General Assembly would have more flexibility in redrawing  Congressional districts, enabling it to respond to the move in other states to shift the balance in Congress to the Republicans. An earlier attempt in Maryland (2022) was struck down by the courts because the redistricting did not conform to the state constitution – thus the proposed amendment to the constitution.

What a Yes vote on this amendment does not do: (1) It does not change anything for the elections of 2026. (2) It does not change the rules mandating compact districts for representation to the Maryland legislature. (3) It also does not itself change Congressional districts.

General Assembly Overrides Two Governor Moore Vetoes

SB 426 -  Shields Divorce Records would shield most divorce case records from public disclosure. The  Senate voted unanimously to override Governor Moore’s veto. The bill was originally sponsored by Sen. Charles Sydnor after a constituent and the constituent’s ex-partner faced harassment when their divorce records were posted online.

HB 862 - Two Person Crews on Trains requires at least two crew members on freight trains. The two-man crew minimum is already required by a Federal Railroad Administration rule, but a state law creates an important backstop were the Trump administration to undo that rule.

Freight trains can be over a mile long and if there is only one crew member on a freight train that crew member is required to stay on the train. They cannot assess damage; they cannot help assisting first responders. A second crew member would be able to do that while the first stays on the train, she argued. Unfortunately the bill shall take effect only if similar legislation passes in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania.

New Maryland Laws Effective July 1, 2026

 The Phone Free Schools Act requires each county to develop a plan to ban phones in schools bell-to-bell. Local school districts would decide the implementation details, but plans must be in place by the 2027-2028 school year.

The Utility Relief Act provides $150 in yearly savings on electric bills. The savings to consumers will average $12.50 per month, with lower-income households seeing additional savings. The new law also expedites the permit process for data centers which use batteries and solar to help power the facilities. The bill also establishes a $5 million no-interest loan program for renewable energy projects and energy efficiency upgrades at nonprofit organizations. It also includes a grant program for low- to moderate-income households to install solar panels, among other changes.

Over-the Counter Contraception for Community College Students: Maryland will require public community colleges to provide students with access to over-the-counter contraception.

Menstrual Hygiene Products: This law requires colleges and universities with on-campus housing to provide menstrual hygiene products, like pads or tampons, free of charge in all student health centers. Higher education institutions have until August 2028 to implement the new changes.

The Vax Act:  In response to recent federal action to overhaul the vaccine schedule for children, the secretary of the Maryland Department of Health will now have the authority to issue recommendations for immunizations, screening, and preventive services based on clinical guidance from independent medical organizations.  This bill decouples the state's vaccine authority from the federal government's, ensuring Maryland's vaccine policy is driven by science, not internet conspiracy theories.

Collective Bargaining for University of Maryland Faculty: Nontenured faculty at Maryland’s institutions of higher education will be able to collectively bargain allowing teachers, researchers, department heads and similar positions to establish recognized collective bargaining units and negotiate union contracts.

Excused Absence for Students to Testify: Testifying at a public meeting, legislative hearing or other similar civic engagement will be considered an excused absence for students under 

Data Privacy Act  is designed to prevent state and local agencies from sharing certain personal information for federal immigration enforcement purposes. This includes sensitive data, such as Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) records, school enrollment data and public benefit applications. It prohibits knowingly sending personal consumer data to a federal, state or local government unit that has engaged in or supported civil immigration enforcement within the past six months preceding the sale.

Federal Obligations Enforcement Act allows Maryland to place a lien on federal properties in the state and withhold payments to the federal government until delinquent state funds are paid. It would also authorize the Maryland Central Collection Unit — the state’s debt management agency — to collect any delinquent federal funds. The bill was inspired by the recent denial of tens of millions of dollars in federal emergency funds to Maryland following severe flooding in Allegany and Garrett counties in the spring of 2025.  It would apply when a court finds that the federal government is illegally withholding congressionally approved spending.

This newsletter was compiled from various news sources.

New Maryland Laws Effective June 1, 2026

 

Jimmy Tarlau	9:12 PM (2 minutes ago)
to me

Most bills that pass the General Assembly become law on July 1, Oct 1 and Jan 1.  This year is unusual in that a few bills became effective on June 1.  Here are some of the new laws:

Artificial Intelligence Ready Schools Act

The law requires the Maryland State Department of Education to issue statewide guidance on the use of artificial intelligence in public schools. Local school systems are given a 120-day countdown from the publication of these state guidelines to formally adopt their own matching AI policies, assign a central-office AI coordinator, and incorporate AI literacy into standard computer science and workforce-preparation coursework.

Residential Rental Apartments - Air-Conditioning Requirement

This law requires landlords of apartment buildings with 10 or more individual dwelling units to provide air-conditioning. For newly constructed units, the requirement begins on June 1, 2026. For existing units, landlords must provide air-conditioning if they previously equipped the unit with it or if the lease required it, starting June 1, 2026. Additionally, for units undergoing renovation that involves replacing or substantially upgrading electrical or heating systems, the air-conditioning requirement begins on October 1, 2026. During the cooling season, from June 1 to September 30, landlords must ensure that the temperature in habitable spaces within the unit does not exceed 80 degrees Fahrenheit, either by maintaining it directly or by ensuring the tenant-controlled system is capable of doing so. The bill will not affect construction or renovations for which building permits were issued before the act’s effective date of June 1, 2026.

Authority at Polling Places

This law grants the State Elections Administrator and local election directors the ability to direct law-enforcement authorities inside polling environments. These election officials can now independently order the arrest of any individual who disrupts the peace or attempts to intimidate voters. It also updates rules for partisan “challengers and watchers,” allowing election officials to limit their access to polling places.

 

The DECADE Act

The DECADE Act aims to expand Maryland’s toolkit for recruiting and keeping businesses by increasing the size and flexibility of state economic development grants, loans and tax incentives, extending several business tax credit programs and creating new incentives tied to technology, research and redevelopment projects. The law also exempts certain information technology services and digital products from the state sales tax and allows the state to put more money into major economic development deals through a renamed “Strategic Closing Fund.” Importantly, state agencies must evaluate whether some of these tax credits and incentive programs are actually producing jobs, investment and economic growth, rather than continuing indefinitely without review.

Criminal background checks for health occupations

This law institutes a mandatory criminal history records check across many industries. Moving forward, state boards will require fingerprinting and state/federal background checks for practicing acupuncturists, dentists and dental hygienists, dietitians, nutritionists, environmental health specialists, morticians, funeral directors, pharmacists, physical therapists, podiatrists, and psychologists.

State procurement reauthorizations

This law extends Maryland’s Minority Business Enterprise program and continuing requirements that state agencies consider minority-owned businesses in certain contracting, licensing and development programs, including some tied to cannabis, offshore wind, public-private partnerships and sports wagering.

Hospitals - Immigration Enforcement Action - Policy Requirement

This bill requires hospitals in Maryland to develop and implement a policy that outlines their procedures when immigration enforcement actions occur on hospital grounds, ensuring patient privacy and the safety of everyone present. Hospitals must make this policy accessible to all their staff members and provide annual training to ensure staff understand and can follow it.

Property Tax Credit - Urban Agricultural Property – The law i alters the eligibility and termination procedures for a property tax credit designed to support urban agricultural property. The bill expands the definition of “urban agricultural purposes” to include activities like hydroponics and other soilless farming methods, beekeeping, raising livestock, composting, creating pollinator habitats, and agricultural education and agritourism. Crucially, if a county or municipality decides to terminate this tax credit, they must now provide at least one year’s advance notice to the public and offer an opportunity for public comment and appeal before doing so, ensuring a more transparent process for those benefiting from the credit.

Climate Change, Homeowner's Insurance, and Emergency Management - Study

This bill mandates that the University of Maryland conduct a comprehensive study to examine the connections between climate change, the availability and cost of homeowner's insurance, and how well communities are prepared for emergencies and disasters. The research will specifically look into how climate change affects insurance costs and availability, the impact of federal disaster preparedness policies, how federal funding supports emergency management, and what local funds are available for disaster recovery. By July 1, 2027, the University System must report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly, which will include an overview of the National Flood Insurance Program and private flood insurance markets, and propose actions such as tax credits or grants to encourage homeowners to make their homes more resilient to extreme weather, potential changes to insurance laws to reward policyholders who invest in resilience, and best practices for funding emergency management.

 

Child Labor Penalties, Private Sector Employee Labor Relations, and State Employee Labor Standards

This bill significantly revises Maryland's labor laws by increasing penalties for child labor violations, establishing new rules for private sector employee labor relations, and setting standards for state employees. Specifically, it introduces substantial civil penalties for employers who violate child labor laws, with fines potentially reaching over $70,000 per violation, and these penalties will be adjusted annually for inflation. The bill also prohibits employers from forming certain types of workplace organizations that are employer-initiated, involve supervisors and employees in addressing working conditions, can be unilaterally dissolved by the employer, and are exempt from federal labor laws like the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). Furthermore, it empowers private employees to petition the Public Employee Relations Board (PERB) to resolve labor disputes if the NLRA is repealed or the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) cedes jurisdiction, allowing PERB to handle representation petitions, unfair labor practice cases, and certify employee organizations.

 

[Most of this material was taken from the Baltimore Sun and MD State Bar Association: https://www.msba.org/site/content/News-and-Publications/News/General-News/2026-Legislative-Wrap-Up-Laws-Effective-June-1-2026.aspx .]