New Maryland Laws Effective October 1, 2026

 Over 300 new laws are effective on October 1, 2026.  You can see the whole list here: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/Pubs/LegisLegal/2026rs-effective-dates-october.pdf  Below are a few of the more significant bills I picked out.

Banning Masks for Enforcement Officers

A new bill will prevent enforcement officers working in the state, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, from using face coverings or masks. The Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission will also have to develop a uniform policy that will require officers to wear visible identification while on duty, including the agency and department they work for, their last name and their badge number. Officers who don’t comply are subject to a civil penalty and could be fined up to $1,500.

 

Maryland Worker Freedom Act

 

Workers and job applicants can decline to attend employer-sponsored meetings where the employer shares views on political matters (such as elections, legislation, or union organizing) or religious matters without facing firing, discipline, or penalties. Employers must post a notice informing workers of their rights once the Commissioner of Labor and Industry provides the model notice.

 

Predatory Pricing Act

 

The legislation requires retailers to keep their prices the same for at least one business day and bans the use of personal data to set individualized prices for groceries.

 

Vulnerable Road User Protection Act of 2026

 

The State Highway Administration will implement speed cameras in safety corridors and areas deemed at high risk for pedestrians and cyclists. Speeding fines will range from $40 to $425, depending on “excessiveness of violation,” according to the bill.

 

Cash Payments

 

A new law which generally requires businesses to accept cash for in-person purchases of essential consumer goods costing less than $300. Covered goods include food, water, hygiene products, household cleaning supplies, medicine, medical supplies, personal protective equipment and fuel. The requirement applies to transactions conducted between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. Under the law, businesses may refuse bills larger than $20 and may use machines that convert cash into prepaid cards without charging customers a fee. If such a machine is not working, the business must accept cash directly. Restaurants, vending machines, online purchases and certain membership-based fuel retailers are among the exceptions.

The Maryland Attorney General’s Office must give a business two opportunities to comply before imposing civil penalties. Subsequent violations can result in fines of up to $500, increasing to $1,000 for repeat violations.

 Maryland Data Privacy and Protection Act of 2026

The law limits the personal information state government units may collect, retain and process, requires covered data to be deleted or de-identified under certain circumstances, and directs agencies to publish privacy notices and appoint privacy officers.

Creative Expression (PACE) Act

Maryland will become the third state, following California and Louisiana, to restrict the way prosecutors can use creative expression like rap lyrics as evidence in criminal trials. The American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland testified in support of the bill, citing concerns about the ambiguity in interpreting creative and cultural expressions as facts in court.

New gun laws

·       Maryland is moving toward a ban on “machine gun convertible pistols” — including popular Glock handguns — which can be easily modified with a rapid-fire switch. Maryland’s Department of State Police will start its review of which guns fit the category. By Jan. 1, the sale or purchase of these firearms will be illegal. Anyone who owns one before Jan. 1 will not be required to give it up. An unauthorized purchase or sale would be a misdemeanor, punishable by a maximum fine of $5,000, imprisonment of up to three years, or both.

·       Firearm Dealer Reporting: Licensed gun dealers must report specific security compromises, burglaries, and thefts to the state police within 24 hours.

·       Buyback Programs: Firearms surrendered through qualifying buyback programs—along with their component parts—must be destroyed following required checks.

 LEAD Act of 2026

This law requires Maryland police training programs to include specific instruction on autism, dementia, and developmental disabilities. It changes how police officers handle calls involving vulnerable community members.

The Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission must update both new academy classes and ongoing officer training. The new rules focus heavily on elopement, which happens when an autistic person or someone with dementia wanders away from safety.

 

Officers will learn how to handle:

• Locating missing people who wander or elope.
• Searching safely near bodies of water
• Using sensory-aware approaches to prevent escalation during a crisis
• Reuniting individuals with their families or caregivers
• Documenting incidents properly
• Coordinating with other law enforcement groups

Short-Term Rental Safety Act

 Requires rentals (such as single-family homes, apartments, and condos) to provide fire extinguishers, smoke/carbon monoxide alarms, emergency phone numbers, and evacuation plans starting.

 

Out-of-State Plates

Drivers have 60 days after an MVA warning to register out-of-state vehicles locally or face a $7-a-day fine (up to $420), with potential booting or towing after 120 days.

 

Stalking Penalties

Stalking becomes a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison if the offender had a prior stalking conviction or an active protective order involving the victim.

 

“Maryland Housing and Transit Opportunity Act

This bill unlocks more than 300 acres of state-owned land adjacent to transit stations so the state can build affordable housing. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development defines affordable housing as dwellings where occupants spend no more than 30% of their gross income on housing costs.

 

Move Over Law

A new law requires drivers approaching from the rear an emergency vehicle using visual signals while stopped on a highway to, if possible, make a lane change into an available lane not immediately adjacent to the emergency vehicle.’ 

 

This movement should only be done if another lane in the same direction is available and the move can be made safely and without impeding other traffic.  If moving to another lane away from the stopped emergency vehicle is not possible, the law requires drivers to ‘slow to a reasonable and prudent speed that is safe for existing weather, road, and vehicular or pedestrian traffic conditions.’

 

The intent of the ‘move over’ law is to provide an extra barrier of safety for police officers, fire fighters, and emergency rescue personnel working along Maryland roads. 

 

This material was taken from various news sources.

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.