Bill Watch List / 2026 Session

Updated: 2/17/2026 1:28 PM

SUPPORT:

• HB49 – Heartbeat Bill – 2026
  2/16/2026 Hearing 3/19 – Health – 1:00 p.m. – Prohibits abortion after a detectable fetal heartbeat.
• HB714 – Abortion Data Reporting to CDC Act – 2026
  2/16/2026 Hearing 3/19 – Health – 1:00 p.m. – Requires the Maryland Department of Health to provide abortion-related data requested by the CDC unless doing so would violate state or federal law.
• SB302 – Women’s Freedom From Coercion Act – 2026
  1/22/2026 Hearing 2/05 – Judicial Proceedings – Results Pending – Makes it illegal to knowingly cause a pregnant person to ingest abortion-inducing drugs without consent or through fraud, coercion, or force.

• HB750 – Protection Against Blocking Access to Religious Facilities – 2026 (Companion to SB177)
  2/5/2026 Hearing 2/17 – Judiciary – Results Pending – Makes it a misdemeanor to intentionally block or interfere with a person’s ability to enter or exit a religious facility. (Companion to SB177)
• SB177 – Protection Against Blocking Access to Religious Facilities – 2026 (Companion to HB750)
  1/13/2026 Hearing 1/20 – Judicial Proceedings – Results Pending – Makes it a misdemeanor to intentionally block or interfere with a person’s ability to enter or exit a religious facility. (Companion to HB750)

• HB24 – Authorization of Volunteer Chaplains in Public Schools – 2026
  1/13/2026 Hearing 1/20 – Ways and Means – Results Pending – Authorizes county boards of education in Maryland to allow chaplains to serve as volunteer aides in public schools to provide support services to students.
• HB154 – Local Boards of Education Transparency Act – 2026 (Companion to SB99)
  1/21/2026 Hearing 2/05 – Ways and Means – Results Pending – Requires county boards of education to improve transparency by posting meeting agendas in advance, making approved minutes publicly available, and live-streaming and archiving open meetings. (Companion to SB99)
• HB566 – Protection of Student Personal Information – 2026 (Companion to SB107)
  2/4/2026 Judiciary Committee Hearing 2/19 at 1:00 p.m. – Makes it a misdemeanor crime to intentionally distribute personal identifying information or images of a student, regardless of age or school setting, if the information is known or intended to be used to harm the student or with reckless disregard of that risk. (Companion to SB107)
• HB966 – State Board Appeal Process for Removal of County Education Officials – 2026 (Companion to SB174)
  2/13/2026 Hearing 3/04 – Ways and Means Commitee – 1:00 p.m. – Requires the State Board of Education to establish a formal, time-limited appeals process for reviewing county board actions to remove a county superintendent or board member. (Companion to SB174)
• SB99 – Local Boards of Education Transparency Act – 2026 (Companion to HB154)
  2/17/2026 Hearing – 2/04 Education, Energy, and the Environment – 2:00 p.m. – Requires county boards of education to improve transparency by posting meeting agendas in advance, making approved minutes publicly available, and live-streaming and archiving open meetings. (Companion to HB154)
• SB107 – Protection of Student Personal Information – 2026 (Companion to HB566)
  1/13/2026 Hearing 1/27 – Judicial Proceedings – Results Pending – Makes it a misdemeanor crime to intentionally distribute personal identifying information or images of a student, regardless of age or school setting, if the information is known or intended to be used to harm the student or with reckless disregard of that risk. (Companion to HB566)
• SB174 – State Board Appeal Process for Removal of County Education Officials – 2026 (Companion to HB966)
  1/16/2026 Hearing 2/04 – Education, Energy, and the Environment – Results Pending – Requires the State Board of Education to establish a formal, time-limited appeals process for reviewing county board actions to remove a county superintendent or board member. (Companion to HB966)

• HB44 – Plain Language and Transparency for Ballot Questions – 2026 (Companion to SB29)
  1/16/2026 Hearing 2/04 – Government, Labor, and Elections – Results Pending – Requires plain-language summaries on petition signature pages, adjusting ballot-question deadlines, and expanding public access and comment opportunities on ballot question information before elections. (Companion to SB29)
• SB29 – Plain Language and Transparency for Ballot Questions – 2026 (Companion to HB44)
  2/6/2026 Passed Senate – Referred to Government, Labor, and Elections House Committee – Requires plain-language summaries on petition signature pages, adjusting ballot-question deadlines, and expanding public access and comment opportunities on ballot question information before elections. (Companion to HB44)

• HB163 – Student Personal Device Use Policies in Schools – 2026 (Companion to SB79)
  1/22/2026 Hearing 2/05 – Ways and Means – Results Pending – Requires each county board of education to adopt a policy limiting student use of personal electronic devices during school hours. (Companion to SB79)
• SB79 – Student Personal Device Use Policies in Schools – 2026 (Companion to HB163)
  1/16/2026 Hearing 2/04 – Education, Energy, and the Environment – Results Pending – Requires each county board of education to adopt a policy limiting student use of personal electronic devices during school hours. (Companion to HB163)

• HB289 – Interception of Video Lottery Winnings for Child Support and Restitution (Companion to SB176) – 2026
  1/16/2026 Hearing 2/05 – Ways and Means – Results Pending – Allows the Central Collection Unit and Child Support Administration to intercept video lottery prize winnings from individuals who owe child support or court-ordered restitution, requires lottery operators to withhold payouts, provides notice and an appeal process for debtors. (Companion to SB176)
• HB291 – Limits on Promotional Credits in Sports Betting (Companion to SB102) – 2026
  1/16/2026 Hearing 2/05 – Ways and Means – Results Pending – Allows the State Lottery and Gaming Control Commission to set limits on how much free promotional play sports betting companies can exclude when calculating their wagering proceeds. (Companion to SB102)
• HB295 – Prohibition on Unlicensed Interactive Gaming and Illegal Revenue (Companion to SB112) – 2026
  1/16/2026 Hearing 2/05 – Ways and Means – Results Pending – Makes it illegal to run or promote online gambling games without a state license, requires licensed gambling companies to disclose any ties to illegal gambling or illegal gambling profits, and allows the state to deny or revoke licenses for violations. (Companion to SB112)
• SB102 – Limits on Promotional Credits in Sports Betting (Companion to HB291) – 2026
  1/15/2026 Hearing 1/21 – Budget and Taxation – Results Pending – Allows the State Lottery and Gaming Control Commission to set limits on how much free promotional play sports betting companies can exclude when calculating their wagering proceeds. (Companion to HB291)
• SB112 – Prohibition on Unlicensed Interactive Gaming and Illegal Revenue (Companion to HB295) – 2026
  1/19/2026 Hearing 1/28 – Budget and Taxation – Results Pending – Makes it illegal to run or promote online gambling games without a state license, requires licensed gambling companies to disclose any ties to illegal gambling or illegal gambling profits, and allows the state to deny or revoke licenses for violations. (Companion to HB295)
• SB176 – Interception of Video Lottery Winnings for Child Support and Restitution (Companion to HB289) – 2026
  1/15/2026 Hearing 1/21 – Budget and Taxation – Results Pending – Allows the Central Collection Unit and Child Support Administration to intercept video lottery prize winnings from individuals who owe child support or court-ordered restitution, requires lottery operators to withhold payouts, provides notice and an appeal process for debtors. (Companion to HB289)

• HB341 – Maryland Commission for Boys and Men’s Health – 2026
  2/10/2026 Hearing 2/10 – Health – Results Pending – Creates a Maryland Commission for Boys and Men’s Health to study and address high rates of chronic illness, suicide, substance use, and other health challenges affecting boys and men, with the goal of improving health outcomes statewide.

• HB63 – Fairness in Girls’ Sports Act – 2026
  1/21/2026 Hearing 2/05 – Ways and Means – Results Pending – Requires school athletic teams and locker rooms to be designated based on biological sex and protects schools from penalties for maintaining these distinctions.

• HB48 – Right to Fight Act – 2026
  1/16/2026 Hearing 1/29 – Judiciary – Results Pending – Prevents local social services agencies from bypassing required reunification efforts solely because a parent previously lost parental rights to a sibling, ensuring services and reasonable efforts to reunite families continue when appropriate.

• HB670 – Child Pornography Prohibitions and Penalties – 2026 (Companion to SB221)
  2/2/2026 Hearing 2/17 – Judiciary – Results Pending – Strengthens MD laws against child pornography by expanding bans on producing, possessing, and viewing sexual images of minors, whether or not it is permanently downloaded. (Companion to SB221)
• HB693 – Distribution of Obscene Material to Minors – 2026
  2/5/2026 House Judiciary Committee Hearing: 3/04 at 1:00 p.m. – Allows minors to hold commercial websites financially responsible if they provide obscene material to minors online and prevents those sites or age-verification services from keeping identifying information.
• HB710 – Display of Obscene Material to Minors – 2026
  2/10/2026 Hearing 3/05 – House Judiciary Committee – 1:00 p.m. – Expands Maryland’s criminal statute on obscene material by including drawings and illustrations in the definition of items that cannot be shown or distributed to minors and prohibits public schools from displaying obscene material.
• SB221 – Strengthened Child Pornography Prohibitions and Penalties – 2026 (Companion to HB670)
  2/16/2026 Passed Senate Committee – Strengthens MD laws against child pornography by expanding bans on producing, possessing, and viewing sexual images of minors, whether or not it is permanently downloaded. (Companion to HB670)

• HB356 – Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) – 2026
  1/28/2026 Hearing 2/17 – Government, Labor, and Elections – Results Pending – Protects people’s right to practice their religion by limiting when state or local governments can interfere, requires the government to meet a high legal standard before burdening religious exercise, and allows individuals to sue if their religious freedom is violated.

• HB111 – Expanded Definitions for Child Abuse and Neglect – 2026
  1/26/2026 Hearing canceled – Expands the legal definitions of child abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect to include additional harmful behaviors—such as sexual exploitation by authority figures and child labor trafficking—and updates reporting standards to strengthen child protection.
• HB329 – Ban on Sexual Relationships Between School Resource Officers and Students (Companion to SB81) – 2026
  1/29/2026 Hearing 2/24 – Judiciary Committee – 1:00 p.m. – Makes it illegal for school resource officers to engage in sexual contact or sexual acts with students enrolled in their assigned schools, and establishes misdemeanor penalties for violations. (Companion to SB81)
• SB81 – Ban on Sexual Relationships Between School Resource Officers and Students (Companion to HB329) – 2026
  1/13/2026 Hearing 1/27 – Judicial Proceedings – Results Pending – Makes it illegal for school resource officers to engage in sexual contact or sexual acts with students enrolled in their assigned schools, and establishes misdemeanor penalties for violations. (Companion to HB329)

• HB67 – Ten Commandments Monument Display Act – 2026
  1/28/2026 Hearing 2/17 – Government, Labor, and Elections – Results Pending – Requires the installation of a Ten Commandments monument on the grounds of the Maryland State House, creates a commission to oversee its design, placement, and maintenance at no cost to the state, and authorizes legal defense against constitutional challenges.

• SB485 – Women’s Health Cost Data Reporting – 2026
  2/4/2026 Hearing 2/19 – Finance – 1:00 p.m. – Requires the Maryland Department of Health to collect and publish annual data on the costs of women’s health services—including prenatal, postpartum, pregnancy, abortion, and menopausal care—using a standardized system.

OPPOSE:

• HB372 – Emergency Pregnancy-Related Care Requirements – 2026 (Companion to SB169)
  2/11/2026 Hearing 2/11 – Health – Results Pending – Requires hospitals to screen emergency room patients for pregnancy-related conditions and mandates that hospitals allow abortions in certain medical situations, while limiting hospitals’ ability to transfer patients and protecting providers from discipline. (Companion to SB169)
• SB169 – Emergency Pregnancy-Related Care Requirements – 2026 (Companion to HB372)
  2/13/2026 Passed Senate – Referred to House Health Committee – Requires hospitals to screen emergency room patients for pregnancy-related conditions and mandates that hospitals allow abortions in certain medical situations, while limiting hospitals’ ability to transfer patients and protecting providers from discipline. (Companion to HB372)

• HB36 – Removal and Replacement of “Church” and “Clergyman” in State Code (Companion to SB93) – 2026
  1/14/2026 Introduced – Removes the words “clergyman” and “church” from the Maryland Code and replaces them with inclusive language like “member of the clergy” and “faith institutions.”. (Companion to SB93)
• HB514 – State Regulation and Enforcement of Charitable Tax-Exempt Status – 2026 (Companion to SB4)
  2/3/2026 Economics Committee Hearing: 2/18 at 1:00 p.m. – Empowers the state of Maryland to enforce existing Federal 501(c)(3) restrictions on political activity by churches and tax-exempt organizations on behalf of a candidate or campaign. (Companion to SB4)
• SB4 – State Regulation and Enforcement of Charitable Tax-Exempt Status – 2026 (Companion to HB514)
  2/9/2026 Hearing 2/11 – Education, Energy, and the Environment – Results Pending – Empowers the state of Maryland to enforce existing Federal 501(c)(3) restrictions on political activity by churches and tax-exempt organizations on behalf of a candidate or campaign. (Companion to HB514)
• SB93 – Removal and Replacement of “Church” and “Clergyman” in State Code (Companion to HB36) – 2026
  2/6/2026 Passed Senate – Sent to the House – Updates the Maryland Annotated Code by replacing religious terms such as “clergyman” and “church” with inclusive language like “member of the clergy” and “faith institutions” across numerous state laws. (Companion to HB36)

• HB23 – Identification Cards for Minors Without Parental Permission – 2026
  1/19/2026 Hearing 2/05 – Environment and Transportation – Results Pending – Prohibits the Motor Vehicle Administration from requiring a parent or guardian to co-sign or be present when certain minors apply for a state identification card, and directs the MVA to set rules for acceptable proof of residency.

• HB551 – Drug Paraphernalia Law Reform – 2026 (Companion to SB327)
  1/29/2026 Hearing 2/10 – Judiciary – Results Pending – Repeals Maryland’s specific criminal penalties and prohibitions related to drug paraphernalia, removing those offenses from state law. (Companion to SB327)
• SB327 – Drug Paraphernalia Law Reform – 2026 (Companion to HB551)
  1/23/2026 Hearing 2/05 – Judicial Proceedings – Results Pending – Repeals Maryland’s specific criminal penalties and prohibitions related to drug paraphernalia, removing those offenses from state law. (Companion to HB551)

• HB649 – Equal Educational Opportunity Enforcement Act – 2026
  2/6/2026 Government, Labor, and Elections Committee Hearing: 2/24 at 1:00 p.m. – Gives the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights authority to investigate and enforce bans on discrimination and retaliation in educational institutions, allows individuals to file complaints or lawsuits.

• HB332 – No Kings Act – 2026 (Companion to SB346)
  2/13/2026 Hearing 2/18 – Judiciary – 1:00 p.m. – Allows people to sue government officials in civil court if their constitutional rights are violated while the official is acting in an official role. (Companion to SB346)
• SB346 – No Kings Act – 2026 (Companion to HB332)
  1/28/2026 Judicial Proceedings Committee Hearing: 2/10 – Results Pending – Allows people to sue government officials in civil court if their constitutional rights are violated while the official is acting in an official role. (Companion to HB332)

• HB280 – Mental Health and Substance Use Coverage Enforcement (Companion to SB205) – 2026
  1/20/2026 Hearing 1/29 – Health – Results Pending – Requires health insurance companies to cover mental health and substance use care the same way they cover physical health care. (Companion to SB205)
• SB205 – Mental Health and Substance Use Coverage Enforcement (Companion to HB280) – 2026
  2/13/2026 Passed Senate Committee – Requires health insurance companies to cover mental health and substance use care the same way they cover physical health care. (Companion to HB280)

• HB550 – No Kings Act – 2026
  2/5/2026 Judiciary Committee Hearing Cancelled – Allows people to sue federal law enforcement officers in Maryland state court when those officers, acting under color of law, violate constitutional rights.

• HJ3 – Resolution on DEI in K–12 Education Curriculum – 2026
  1/21/2026 First Reading House Rules and Executive Nominations – RESOLUTION. Affirms that Maryland schools should teach inclusive and diverse history—especially of communities that have faced discrimination—so all students feel represented and receive a well-rounded education.

WATCH:

• HB650 – Maryland Uniform Public Expression Protection Act – 2026 (Companion to SB251)
  2/2/2026 Judiciary Committe Hearing: 2/25 at 1:00 p.m. – Protects people from lawsuits meant to silence free speech by allowing courts to quickly dismiss cases that target lawful communication about government actions or matters of public concern. (Companion to SB251)
• SB251 – Maryland Uniform Public Expression Protection Act – 2026 (Companion to HB650)
  1/17/2026 Hearing 1/29 – Judicial Proceedings – Results Pending – Protects people from lawsuits meant to silence free speech by allowing courts to quickly dismiss cases that target lawful communication about government actions or matters of public concern. (Companion to HB650)

• HB278 – The Longevity Ready Maryland Act (Companion to SB113) – 2026
  2/17/2026 Passed House Committee – Puts the Secretary of Aging in charge of carrying out Maryland’s Longevity Ready Plan, reorganizes the Commission on Aging, and clarifies responsibilities to better coordinate programs and services for older adults. (Companion to SB113)
• SB113 – The Longevity Ready Maryland Act (Companion to HB278) – 2026
  1/19/2026 Hearing 1/28 – Finance – Results Pending – Puts the Secretary of Aging in charge of carrying out Maryland’s Longevity Ready Plan, reorganizes the Commission on Aging, and clarifies responsibilities to better coordinate programs and services for older adults. (Companion to HB278)

• HB192 – Exemption for Accredited Religious Institutions from Higher Education Approval (Companion to SB208) – 2026
  2/9/2026 Hearing 2/17 – Appropriations – Results Pending – Allows certain accredited religious educational institutions to operate and enroll students in online religious programs without obtaining a certificate of approval from the Maryland Higher Education Commission, provided the instruction is sectarian and limited to religious purposes. (Companion to SB208)
• SB208 – Exemption for Accredited Religious Institutions from Higher Education Approval (Companion to HB192) – 2026
  1/21/2026 Hearing 1/28 – Education, Energy, and the Environment – Results Pending – Allows certain accredited religious educational institutions to operate and enroll students in online religious programs without obtaining a certificate of approval from the Maryland Higher Education Commission, provided the instruction is sectarian and limited to religious purposes. (Companion to HB192)

• HB209 – Informed Consent Requirements for IVF – 2026
  2/9/2026 Withdrawn by Sponsor – Requires fertility doctors to get clear permission from patients and donors before using eggs, sperm, or other reproductive material, bans using or misrepresenting that material without consent.

• HB722 – Abrogation of Charitable Immunity in Child Sexual Abuse Claims – 2026
  2/4/2026 Hearing 2/19 – Judiciary – 1:00 p.m. – Allows survivors of child sexual abuse to sue charitable organizations at any time by removing charitable immunity and statute-of-limitations defenses.

• HB21 – Child Influencers Protection Act – 2026
  1/19/2026 Hearing 2/04 – Economic Matters – Results Pending – Requires vloggers to pay minors who regularly appear in monetized online videos, sets child labor protections for those minors, and requires social media platforms to comply with rules for removing content featuring children.

• SB19 – Maryland Commission on Women’s Health Advancement – 2026
  1/19/2026 Hearing 1/27 – Finance – Results Pending – Creates the Maryland Commission on Women’s Health Advancement to study the feasibility of establishing a state women’s hospital and a statewide clinical network to improve women’s health services.