The 2025 General Assembly Session came to a close Monday, April 7th at midnight! A total of 2,605 bills were introduced, of which 878 bills were passed by both chambers over the course of this session, compared to 1,053 passed in 2024.

Following tradition, Governor Moore presided over the first bill signing on April 8, the day after Sine Die. The Governor, joined by Senate President Bill Ferguson, and House Speaker Adrienne Jones, signed a total of 92 bills into law. In addition to several state agency and departmental bills, two Administration priorities were signed, the Registered Apprenticeship Investments for a Stronger Economy (“RAISE”) Act and the Office of Disability Employment Advancement and Policy and Maryland as a Model Employer Initiative – Established.

Four additional bill signings will be held on April 22 at 12 p.m., May 6 at 12 p.m., May 13 at 12 p.m., and May 20 at 12 p.m.

Department of Legislative Services 90 Day Report

The Department of Legislative Services produces “The 90 Day Report” each year following Session. It is divided into 12 parts, each dealing with a major policy area. Each part contains a discussion of the majority of bills that passed in that policy area, including background information and comparisons to current law.

Budget and State Aid (includes operating budget, capital budget, and state aid to local governments)
Taxes (includes property taxes, income taxes, and tax sales)
State Government (includes state agencies, offices, officials/regulations, elections, procurement, and cybersecurity)
Local Government (includes counties and municipalities, and bi-county agencies)
Crimes, Corrections, Public Safety (includes criminal law, criminal procedure, juvenile law, and public safety)
Courts and Civil Proceedings (includes judges and court administration, real property, and family law)
Transportation and Motor Vehicles(includes state highways, public transportation, bridges, and motor vehicle issues)
Business and Economic Issues (includes business occupations and regulation, horse racing/gaming, economic development, unemployment insurance, and state/local alcohol laws)
Financial Institutions, Commercial Law, and Corporations (includes financial institutions, and commercial law generally and consumer protections)
Health and Human Services (includes public health – generally, health occupations, health insurance, and social services)
Natural Resources, Environment, and Agriculture (includes natural resources, hunting/fishing, environment/energy, and agriculture)
Education (includes primary and secondary education, community colleges, and libraries)

 

Summary of Some Major Issues That Passed During the 2025 Legislative Session

Operating Budget and Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act

The House and Senate passed a $67 billion spending plan on the last day of the session that included budget reductions, cost shifts, fund transfers, and revenue enhancements to balance the fiscal year 2026 budget. Faced with a significant budget shortfall, spending reductions, shifts, and transfers total almost $2 billion, with revenue enhancements raising approximately $1.2 billion.

The largest revenue generator is a 3% sales and use tax on data or technology services in North American Industry Classification System Codes Sector 518, 519, and 5415, and system software or application software publishing described in NAICS Sector 5132 .  The tax is anticipated to raise over $480 million in the first year.

Income tax adjustments are expected to raise almost $350 million. These changes to the personal income tax structure include two new brackets; 6.25 % for single filers $500,000-$1 million and joint filers $600,000-$1.2 million and; 6.5% for single families over $1 million and joint filers over $1.2 million.  Also, phased out is the ability of higher earners to take itemized deductions. An imposed a 2% tax surcharge on capital gains for filers with income in excess of $350,000 is expected to raise a total of $367 million, with $138 million going to the Transportation Trust Fund. Additional actions to increase transportation revenues include: doubling fees for certificates of title ($104 million), increasing the vehicle excise tax ($92 million), and accelerating the increase in registration fees ($52 million), to name a few.

Statutory language for budget actions can be found in the first two links below. The Conference Committee Summary Report summarizes all budget reductions, cost shifts, fund transfers and revenue enhancements.

HB 350 Budget Bill (Fiscal Year 2026) – Enrolled Bill
HB 352 Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act or 2024 – Enrolled Bill
Conference Committee Report on HB 350 – the Budget Bill
Conference Committee Summary Report on HB 350 and HB 352

Governor’s Legislative Agenda

The Governor’s legislative agenda featured nine pieces of legislation to spur economic development by making housing more affordable, streamlining and refocusing economic development programs, revamping the state’s procurement process, and making it easier for certain populations to become employed. The agenda also included legislation to modify the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future.

Below is a brief summary of the legislation that passed this session in addition to the two bills signed by the Governor and presiding officers on April 8.

HB 504 – Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Act

This bill modifies the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future by delaying implementation of collaborative time for teachers and preserving funding for vulnerable student groups and community schools.

SB 432 – Expungement Reform Act of 2025

This bill revises Maryland’s expungement laws by permitting a person to file for expungement based on the “completion of a sentence,” rather than the prior standard of conviction or satisfactory completion. It also expanded the list of misdemeanors and certain felonies eligible for expungement and prohibits the Maryland Judiciary Case Search (“MDEC”) from referencing certain charges that resulted in dismissal, acquittal, nolle prosequi, or a STET older than three years.

HB 500 – Procurement Reform Act of 2025

This bill overhauls Maryland’s procurement system by authorizing the Chief Procurement Officer to assume broader authority over contract approvals, requiring new diversity and apprenticeship plans, and establishing good labor practices evaluation factors for contract awards. The bill removes certain procurement powers from the Department of General Services and adds new procurement methods.

Energy

In a significant step toward reshaping the state’s energy landscape, a trio of energy reform bills passed aimed at accelerating in-state power generation, streamlining regulatory processes, and lowering costs for consumers. Together, the bills create uniform siting standards for solar arrays, establish a new Strategic Energy Planning Office, and introduce faster permitting for new power facilities, including natural gas, nuclear, and battery storage. Additionally, the legislation includes an average $80 rebate for households and curbs certain utility spending practices, such as multiyear rate hikes and using ratepayer funds for gas pipeline replacements without safety justification.

Next Generation Energy Act HB1035/SB937
Renewable Energy Certainty Act HB1036/SB931
Energy Resource Adequacy and Planning Act HB1037/SB909

Immigration

There were several immigration bills introduced during this session focusing on data privacy, sensitive locations, and disallowing the state of Maryland to cooperate with federal immigration agents. The two bills listed below passed.

SB 608 deals with the processing of U Nonimmigrant petitions, which help non-citizen immigrants that are victims of crimes, or their family members obtain citizenship. Petitioners earn their citizenship through their cooperation with law enforcement on the detection, investigation, or prosecution of that qualifying criminal activity of which they were a victim. SB 608 requires law enforcement to certify U Nonimmigrant Status petitions in 45 days of receiving the request, outside of special circumstances. The bill requires agencies to make a determination in 7 days if the noncitizen victim is the subject of removal, exclusion, or deportation proceedings.

HB 1222, which was heavily amended for its original posture, limits federal immigration enforcement at “sensitive locations” and protects the privacy of personal and location of Maryland resident’s personal data. The bill defines “sensitive locations” such as churches, public schools, public libraries, courthouses, and health care facilities to name a few. Federal immigration agents cannot access these sensitive locations unless they have a valid federal warrant or there are exigent circumstances. Additionally, the bill requires that if federal law enforcement agents are conducting immigration enforcement at sensitive locations, they must notify local and state law enforcement ahead of time.

Health

Prescription Drug Affordability

HB 424 / SB 357 passed to expand the authority of the Prescription Drug Affordability Board. Under this new authority, the Board could set upper-payment limits on prescription medications in the commercial market. In the final amended version, the bill increases membership to the Stakeholder Council to include a representative of the rare disease community and would require the Board to consider the impact of an upper payment limit on patients with rare diseases before making a determination on medications used for this purpose.

Health Benefit Plans – Calculation of Cost Sharing Contribution – Accumulator Ban

SB 773 ensures copay assistance programs offered by pharmaceutical manufacturers will count towards deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums associated with health insurance plans. The bill also establishes specified requirements administrators, carriers, PBMs, and third parties providing financial assistance must follow.

Environment

Producer Responsibility Plans

Building off of producer responsibility legislation that passed two years ago, SB 901 passed to  strengthen Maryland’s producer responsibility laws. This bill will require producers of covered materials to develop and implement state-approved recycling plans, beginning in 2028, and prohibits the sale or distribution of covered materials without such plans. The bill will also allow the producer responsibility organization (“PRO”) to collect fees from member-producers and allow certain local governments and private entities that provide recycling or composting services to seek reimbursement from the PRO for the cost of providing services to residential properties, schools, and public buildings.