Bill Watch List / 2026 Session

Updated: 5/27/2026 1:10 PM

SUPPORT:

• HB750 – Protection Against Blocking Access to Religious Facilities (Companion to SB177) – 2026
  5/12/2026 – SIGNED into law – Makes it a misdemeanor to use force, threats, or physical obstruction to interfere with or harm someone while they are lawfully exercising their religious beliefs at a place of worship, and separately prohibits blocking or interfering with a person’s ability to enter or exit a religious facility. (Companion to SB177)
• SB177 – Protection Against Blocking Access to Religious Facilities (Companion to HB750) – 2026
  5/12/2026 – SIGNED into law – Makes it a misdemeanor to use force, threats, or physical obstruction to interfere with or harm someone while they are lawfully exercising their religious beliefs at a place of worship, and separately prohibits blocking or interfering with a person’s ability to enter or exit a religious facility. (Companion to HB750)

• SB29 – Plain Language and Transparency for Ballot Questions (Companion to HB44) – 2026
  5/12/2026 – SIGNED into law – Requires plain-language summaries, titles, and outcome explanations on petition signature pages and ballot questions; sets a July 1 deadline for certification; and expands public access through a 15-day comment period and longer pre-election posting requirements. (Companion to HB44)

• HB289 – Interception of Video Lottery Winnings for Child Support and Restitution (Companion to SB176) – 2026
  4/14/2026 – SIGNED into law – Allows the Central Collection Unit and Child Support Administration to intercept video lottery facility prize winnings from individuals who owe child support, court-ordered restitution, or state debt; requires video lottery operators to withhold and transfer applicable winnings, provide notice to winners, and allow a 15-day appeal process before funds are applied to the debt. (Companion to SB176)
• SB176 – Interception of Video Lottery Winnings for Child Support and Restitution (Companion to HB289) – 2026
  4/14/2026 – SIGNED into law – Allows the Central Collection Unit and Child Support Administration to intercept video lottery facility prize winnings from individuals who owe child support, court-ordered restitution, or state debt; requires video lottery operators to withhold and transfer applicable winnings, provide notice to winners, and allow a 15-day appeal process before funds are applied to the debt. (Companion to HB289)

• HB670 – Child Pornography Prohibitions and Penalties (Companion to SB221) – 2026
  2/2/2026 – Hearing 2/17 – Judiciary – Results Pending – Expands Maryland child pornography laws by prohibiting the knowing access and intentional viewing of sexual images of minors, including certain computer-generated images, and establishes enhanced penalties based on the number of images and the age of the minor depicted. (Companion to SB221)
• SB221 – Strengthened Child Pornography Prohibitions and Penalties (Companion to HB670) – 2026
  5/12/2026 – SIGNED into law – Expands Maryland child pornography laws by prohibiting the knowing access and intentional viewing of sexual images of minors, including certain computer-generated images, and establishes enhanced penalties based on the number of images and the age of the minor depicted. (Companion to HB670)

• HB329 – Ban on Sexual Relationships Between School Resource Officers and Students (Companion to SB81) – 2026
  5/12/2026 – SIGNED into law – Prohibits law enforcement officers from engaging in sexual contact or sexual acts with students enrolled in a school where the officer is assigned as a school resource officer, and establishes misdemeanor penalties for violations. (Companion to SB81)
• SB81 – Ban on Sexual Relationships Between School Resource Officers and Students (Companion to HB329) – 2026
  5/12/2026 – SIGNED into law – Prohibits law enforcement officers from engaging in sexual contact or sexual acts with students enrolled in a school where the officer is assigned as a school resource officer, and establishes misdemeanor penalties for violations. (Companion to HB329)

• HB363 – Local Child Grant Authorization (Companion to SB468) – 2026
  4/28/2026 – SIGNED into law – Authorizes Maryland counties to provide a direct cash grant for each qualified child of certain low-income taxpayers eligible for the State Child Tax Credit, with counties determining the grant amount and administering the program, in addition to existing tax credit options. (Companion to SB468)
• SB468 – Local Child Grant Authorization – 2026 (Companion to HB363) – 2026
  4/28/2026 – SIGNED into law – Authorizes Maryland counties to provide a direct cash grant for each qualified child of certain low-income taxpayers eligible for the State Child Tax Credit, with counties determining the grant amount and administering the program, in addition to existing tax credit options. (Companion to HB363)

OPPOSE:

• HB372 – Emergency Room Abortion Mandate (Companion to SB169) – 2026
  5/26/2026 – SIGNED into law – Mandates that hospital emergency rooms must perform an abortion if it is determined necessary to stabilize the mother. In plain English, if a doctor determines that abortion is medically necessary to stabilize the patient, the hospital must allow the procedure, even if the hospital normally prohibits abortions. The hospital may not transfer the mother until she has been stabilized. Violations may face civil penalties up up to $50,000. (Companion to SB169)
• SB169 – Emergency Room Abortion Mandate (Companion to HB372) – 2026
  5/26/2026 – SIGNED into law – Mandates that hospital emergency rooms must perform an abortion if it is determined necessary to stabilize the mother. In plain English, if a doctor determines that abortion is medically necessary to stabilize the patient, the hospital must allow the procedure, even if the hospital normally prohibits abortions. The hospital may not transfer the mother until she has been stabilized. Violations may face civil penalties up up to $50,000. (Companion to HB372)

• SB594 – Cannabis Advertising Regulation Changes – 2026
  5/12/2026 – SIGNED into law – Updates Maryland cannabis advertising rules by allowing limited exterior signage for dispensaries to identify the business, revising how advertisers demonstrate that at least 85% of an audience is 21 or older (including allowing attestations), and clarifying restrictions on ads targeting individuals under 21, while maintaining the prohibition on ads directed at minors.

• SB775 – Gun Buyback Firearm Destruction Requirements – 2026
  5/12/2026 – SIGNED into law – Requires federal firearms licensees and law enforcement agencies operating gun buyback programs to destroy all surrendered firearms and their components so they are permanently inoperable, requires reasonable efforts to determine whether firearms are stolen or linked to crimes before destruction, and imposes fines and potential license revocation for violations.

• SB346 – No Kings Act – 2026
  5/12/2026 – SIGNED into law – Allows individuals to bring civil lawsuits against certain covered officers who, acting under color of law, deprive them of rights secured by the U.S. Constitution or laws, and permits courts to award damages and other relief while preserving existing immunity defenses. (Companion to HB332)