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.