Final Day – Priority Bills Passed and Many More Moving!

Read Full Digest Here: April 13th Digest

At midnight 🕛 on Monday, April 13, the General Assembly adjourns “sine die” (with no appointed date to reconvene  this year).  As of Saturday evening, when the House adjourned until Monday, UULM-MD had seen eight of its priority measures fully passed and eight more close to passing. 

Below is the status of bills for the priority measures that had at least one bill pass out of its house of origin (House bills passing the House and Senate Bills passing the Senate). Successful measures are marked with the symbol ✅. Those that may need our help to pass on the final day are marked with the symbol❗

The following measures have passed and will go to the Governor: 

Criminal Justice: 

 ✅ SB 323 – Youth  Charging Reform Act 

 ✅ SB 162 – Motion to Reduce Duration of Sentence - Repeal of Sentencing Date Limitation 

 ✅ HB 187 and SB 320 – Expungement - No Finding and Case Terminated Without Finding 

 ✅ HB 108 and SB 61 – Division of Correction - Volunteer Services Program 

Gun Violence: 

 ✅ SB 334 – Firearm Crimes - Machine Gun Convertible Pistols   

Health Care: 

✅ SB 169 and HB 372 – Hospitals – Emergency Pregnancy-Related Medical Conditions – Procedures   

Immigration: 

✅ SB 245 / HB 444 - Public Safety – Immigration Enforcement Agreements – Prohibition  (signed by Governor Moore)

✅ HB 351 – Constitutional Rights - Violations and Digital Unmasking

✅ HB 1017 – Correctional Services - Private Immigration Detention Facilities - Zoning Requirement – companion SB 984 awaiting action by House Government, Labor, and Elections [passage of the companion bill is not required for the measure to pass since HB 1017 has already passed]

The other priority measures with bills awaiting action by the opposite house committee include:

Climate Change: 

❗Utility RELIEF (Reducing Energy Load Inflation for Everyday Families) Act - HB 1532 and SB 841), in conference committee 

❗Transportation and Climate Alignment Act of 2026 – HB 437 passed the House – Favorable with Amendments by Budget & Taxation - on 2nd Reading in Senate - if passes 3rd Reading in the Senate, the House will need to accept the amendments 

❗Maryland Transit and Housing Opportunity Act – HB 894 and SB 389 – both passed 2nd Reading in the opposite chamber with amendments – once they pass 3rd Reading (final passage), they will need to be reconciled, either by one chamber concurring in the amendments or by conference committee

Gun Violence:

Public Safety - Gun Buyback Programs - Destruction of Firearms – SB 775  passed 2nd Reading in the House without amendments – if it passes 3rd Reading, it will go to the Governor for signature

Healthcare:

❗Birth Certificate Modernization Act – SB 626 Passed both houses with amendments - House appointed a conference committee; Senate needs to "recede" or appoint a conference committee

Immigration:

❗Community Trust Act – SB 791 passed the House with amendments (at midnight Saturday), the Senate will need to concur in the amendments 

❗Immigration Enforcement - Expanding Sensitive Locations, Notification, and Guidance (Maryland Values Act of 2026) - SB 810 passed 2nd Reading in the House – if it passes 3rd Reading, the Senate will need to concur in the House amendments; companion HB 1341 passed out of committee favorable with amendments and is on 2nd Reading 

❗Data Privacy Act – HB 711 passed 2nd Reading in the Senate without amendments – if it passes 3rd Reading, it will go to the Governor for signature – companion SB 504 passed 2nd Reading in the Senate, if it passes 3rd Reading, the House will need to concur with the amendments [passage of the companion bill is not required for the measure to pass since HB 711 will have passed]

While passage is not imminent, it is still possible for the other priority measures to pass: 

Climate Change:

Public Service Commission - Full Costs and Benefits Analysis of Sources of Electricity Generation -  SB 270 passed the Senate, awaiting action by House Environment and Transportation Committee

Criminal Justice:

Correctional Services - Restrictive Housing - Individuals with Developmental or Intellectual Disabilities – HB 310 – passed the House, awaiting action by Senate Judicial Proceedings

Juvenile Law - Confinement and Restrictive Housing – Limitations – HB 921 – passed the House, awaiting action by Senate Judicial Proceedings

Gun Violence Prevention:

 Family and Law Enforcement Protection Act - HB 83 passed the House, awaiting action by Senate Judicial Proceedings 

Immigration: 

Correctional Services - Correctional Facilities and Immigration Detention Facilities - Minimum Mandatory Standards – HB 1018 – passed the House, awaiting action by Senate Judicial Proceedings

Transportation - Aviation - Passenger Health and Safety (Aviation Health and Safety Act) - HB 639 passed the House, awaiting action by Senate Finance.

 ❗Public Safety - Law Enforcement Officers - Prohibition on Face Coverings - SB 1 passed the Senate, was voted favorably with amendments by House Judiciary and is on 2nd Reading – if it passes 2nd and 3rd readings, the Senate will need to concur in the House amendments

Democracy:

 Charitable Organizations - Charitable Donation and Tax-Exempt Status - Revocation (Keeping Charities Nonpartisan Act of 2026) – SB 4 passed the Senate, awaiting action by House Economic Matters – UULM-MD wants the committee to remove the Senate amendment that exempted churches and other religious congregations, as we believe it is an unconstitutional favoring of religious over non-religious groups.

Bills we Opposed:

 “Fairness in Girls' Sports Act” (banning trans kids from girls sports) – HB 63 and SB 50 have not moved since we testified against them in their initial committee hearings and are unlikely to go forward

Upcoming Events:

Rally and Pack the Court: Stop Maryland's Ice Camps

In response to growing community protest, on February 23, Maryland’s Attorney General filed a lawsuit to block ICE’s plan to convert a 825,000-square-foot warehouse outside Hagerstown, which it purchased for $102.4 million, into a concentration camp.

On April 15, the court will hear this landmark case.

Join us, our allies at Maryland Coalition to Stop the Camps, and the ACLU for a rally at the courthouse!

WHEN:  Wednesday April 15,

               9:00 am Rally,

               10:00 am Observe the Court Hearing or

               Attend the Interfaith Vigil outside

WHERE:  Garmatz Federal Courthouse,

                101 West Lombard St,

                 Baltimore MD 21201

Sign Up Here: bit.ly/April15Hearing

 A Call for our Shared Humanity

A sacred gathering where people of different religious and spiritual traditions will gather with a shared intention: affirming the dignity and humane treatment of all people. Hymns, chants, mantras—all a cappella—along with readings from sacred texts and speakers from various backgrounds will create space to reflect, reconnect, and recommit to a unity of purpose. 

Please join us: 

Sunday, April 19 

 Beginning at 5 p.m. 

Christ’s Reformed Church

130 West Franklin St., Hagerstown, Md.

Please use front entrance. 

~ A vegetarian potluck meal immediately after ~ 

This service will be livestreamed on  Hagerstown Area Religious Council's Facebook page: Facebook.com/HARCcoalition/