This morning the first bill signing of 2025 took place with Governor Wes Moore, Senate President Bill Ferguson, and House Speaker Adrienne Jones signing 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.
The RAISE Act (SB 431) aims to expand and modernize Maryland’s registered apprenticeship programs. It authorizes licensing exam waivers for individuals who complete approved apprenticeship programs, restructures oversight by altering duties of the Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Council, and eliminates the Youth Apprenticeship Advisory Committee. The bill establishes several new initiatives within the Department of Labor, including the Maryland Office of Registered Apprenticeship Development, a Qualified Intermediary Program to support program expansion, and an Incentive Pay Per Apprentice Program to financially support employers and sponsors of new apprentices. It also creates a dedicated fund for incentive payments and mandates detailed reporting on apprenticeship outcomes. The bill applies retroactively to programs approved after January 1, 2023, and takes effect on October 1, 2025.
The second Administration bill (HB 502) signed this morning establishes the Office of Disability Employment Advancement and Policy within the Maryland Department of Disabilities and creates the Maryland as a Model Employer Initiative. The Office is tasked with developing and implementing strategies to improve employment, training, and career readiness for individuals with disabilities, in line with the State Disabilities Plan. Beginning July 1, 2026, it will oversee the Model Employer Initiative, which aims to increase the recruitment, hiring, retention, and advancement of people with disabilities in state government. The bill also outlines specific responsibilities, such as conducting outreach, providing training to state agencies, improving access to assistive technologies, evaluating employment practices, collecting performance data, and reporting annually on outcomes and recommendations. The bill is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2025.
The Governor and Presiding Officers will hold four additional bill signings – April 22, May 6, May 13, and May 20.
To view a complete list of bills signed today, as well as the upcoming bill dates please visit: https://governor.maryland.gov/news/Pages/bill-signings.aspx
Governor’s Press Release – Governor Moore Signs Legislation to Strengthen Maryland’s Workforce
Maryland Matters Article – Moore, Legislative Leaders, Signed 92 Bills into Law Hours After End of 2025 Session
