One Week Left – Priority Bills Passing!

Read Full Digest Here: April 6, 2026 Digest

The coming week will be a busy one, the budget has completely passed, and everyone is scrambling to get important bills through to passage. In addition to the Immigration measure already signed into law earlier in the session, eight of UULM-MD’s priority measures are closer to passage with only one week left in the session:

• Health Care:

  • SB 169 – Hospitals – Emergency Pregnancy-Related Medical Conditions – Procedures – has passed both houses and will go to the Governor for signature. Its companion bill HB 372 is awaiting a vote in the House Floor.  

• Criminal Justice:

  • SB 323 – Youth  Charging Reform Act – is awaiting its final vote for passage in the House before going to the Governor

  • SB 162 – Criminal Procedure - Motion to Reduce Duration of Sentence - Repeal of Sentencing Date Limitation – was voted out of the Judiciary Committee without amendments.  Passage by the House will send this to the Governor as well.

• Gun Violence:

  • House Judiciary just voted out an amended SB 334 – Criminal Law - Firearm Crimes - Machine Gun Convertible Pistols – along with its companion HB 577. If the Senate accepts the amendments added in the House, it will also go to the Governor.

• Climate Change:

  • The most significant measure of the year – Utility RELIEF (Reducing Energy Load Inflation for Everyday Families) Act – has very different versions passed by each chamber (HB 1532 and SB 841), and a conference committee will likely be required to resolve their differences

• Criminal Justice: Two more House-passed measures appeared on the voting lists in Senate Judicial Proceedings and are expected to be advanced soon:

  • HB 108 – Division of Correction - Volunteer Services Program – Its companion SB 61 is awaiting action by House Judiciary

  • HB 187 – Criminal Procedure - Expungement - No Finding and Case Terminated Without Finding – Its companion SB 320 is awaiting action by House Judiciary

• Immigration:

  • SB 810 – Immigration Enforcement - Expanding Sensitive Locations, Notification, and Guidance (Maryland Values Act of 2026) was on the voting for House Judiciary (Ways & Means must also approve) – Its companion HB 1341 is awaiting action by Senate Education, Energy, & the Environment and Judicial Proceedings Committees

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

• Climate Change – 3 measures pending

  • Maryland Transit and Housing Opportunity Act – HB 894 awaiting action by Senate Finance and Education, Energy, and the Environment Committees; SB 389 awaiting action by House Economic Matters and Environment and Transportation Committees

  • Transportation and Climate Alignment Act of 2026 – HB 437 awaiting action by Senate Budget and Taxation Committee

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

• Criminal Justice – 2 measures pending

  • Correctional Services - Restrictive Housing - Individuals with Developmental or Intellectual Disabilities – HB 310 – awaiting action by Senate Judicial Proceeding

  • Juvenile Law - Confinement and Restrictive Housing – Limitations – HB 921 - awaiting action by Senate Judicial Proceedings

• Gun Violence Prevention – 2 measures pending

  • Family and Law Enforcement Protection Act - HB 83 awaiting action by Senate Judicial Proceedings 

  • Public Safety - Gun Buyback Programs - Destruction of Firearms – SB 775 awaiting action by House Judiciary

• Healthcare – 1 measure pending

  • Birth Certificate Modernization Act – SB 626 awaiting action by House Health

• Immigration – 6 measures pending

  • Data Privacy Act – HB 711 awaiting action by Senate Finance 

  • Correctional Services - Private Immigration Detention Facilities - Zoning Requirement - SB 984 – awaiting action by House Government, Labor, and Elections; HB 1017 awaiting action by Senate Judicial Proceedings - The bills are different and will need to be reconciled.

  • Correctional Services - Correctional Facilities and Immigration Detention Facilities - Minimum Mandatory Standards – HB 1018 awaiting action by Senate Judicial Proceedings

  • Transportation - Aviation - Passenger Health and Safety (Aviation Health and Safety Act) - HB 639 – awaiting action by Senate Judicial Proceedings

  • Public Safety - Law Enforcement Officers - Prohibition on Face Coverings - SB 1 – awaiting action by House Judiciary – complicated by federal court ruling that states cannot regulate this for ICE.

  • Constitutional Rights - Violations and Digital Unmasking – HB 351 – awaiting action by Senate Judicial Proceedings 

• Democracy 

  • Charitable Organizations - Charitable Donation and Tax-Exempt Status - Revocation (Keeping Charities Nonpartisan Act of 2026) – SB 4 – awaiting action by House Rules and Executive Nominations Committee