Two Weeks Left! Bills that Crossed Over Get Hearings

Read Full Digest Here: March 30, 2026 Digest

Each of our Issue Areas had bills that passed from one chamber to the other ahead of the crossover deadline, and hearings are underway in the opposite chamber.  Fourteen (14) are scheduled for this week (see the current list on our Look Ahead page). The procedures for bills that have crossed over are different. Those that have had a companion bill heard in the committee often do not have hearings, and if they do, only the bill sponsor is allowed to testify verbally unless there is opposition. We can still submit written testimony.

While it is still possible that other bills could be voted out of their original committees in time to pass both houses, the attention of UULM-MD Issue Teams has turned to contacting lawmakers on specific committees to approve bills they received from the opposite chamber.  We need your help to do this as soon as possible, since voting sessions are often scheduled with little or no notice, and we need legislators to hear from us before they vote.

Bills that crossed over must now be passed by the opposite chamber before they are sent to the Governor for signature. In other words, every House bill will need to be passed by the Senate, even if the Senate has already passed its companion Senate bill (and vice versa). However, it is not necessary for both companion bills to pass in order for the measure to become law, as long as one of them passes both houses with the exact same language. 

A bill that gets amended in the opposite chamber will need to return to its original chamber for acceptance of the amendments. Should the two chambers not agree on a final version, a conference committee of members from both houses will need to be appointed to work out the differences.

Actions Needed

Now is the time to help shape the final versions of legislation before April 13.

Of the UULM-MD priority measures that crossed over:

•  Some had companion bills passed by both houses that were identical. These should have no problem passing before the session ends on April 13 at midnight, so no further action by UULM-MD is needed. 

•  Some did not have companion bills in the other house, or their companion bills were not voted out of the other committee. For these we may need to ask the second house to approve them (or amend them if needed).

•  Some of the companion bills passed by both houses have significant differences between them, and Issue Leads will be asking for your help in getting the right versions ultimately approved.

Climate Change:

HB 1532 - Utility RELIEF (Reducing Energy Load Inflation for Everyday Families) Act – UULM-MD opposes the amended version of this bill as it passed the House. While it has many good provisions, it would drastically cut a key program for lowering utility bills — Maryland’s energy efficiency program, EmPOWER Maryland. Analysis shows that the bill as proposed would cut most of the EmPOWER program for next three years. However, the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment (EEE) Committee is making its own amendments to SB 841 – Maryland Energy Administration - Renewable Energy Generation Projects - Alternative Compliance Fee Auction [original title] – addressing the same subjects but will have substantial differences that we hope will rectify the problems with HB 1532. Stay tuned for alerts from Phil Webster on actions we can take.

Maryland Transit and Housing Opportunity Act – HB 894 passed the House, and SB 389 passed the Senate. The House bill does not add the use of project labor agreements as a scoring preference for projects financed by the Transit–Oriented Development Capital Grant and Revolving Loan Fund. 

Transportation and Climate Alignment Act of 2026 – HB 437 passed the House, but the Senate has not voted on companion SB 59. UULM-MD wants the Senate to pass the House bill without amendments.

Public Service Commission - Full Costs and Benefits Analysis of Sources of Electricity Generation -  SB 270 passed the Senate, but the House has not voted on companion HB 674. UULM-MD wants the House to pass the Senate bill without amendments.

Criminal Justice:

Division of Correction - Volunteer Services Program – HB 108 – passed the House; SB 61 passed the Senate. Both bills were similarly amended, but they differ on disclosure of a former offender volunteer’s name to the public.           

Criminal Procedure - Expungement - No Finding and Case Terminated Without Finding – HB 187 passed the House; SB 320 passed the Senate. There is different language in the two bills, but they can probably be reconciled with technical changes.

Criminal Procedure - Motion to Reduce Duration of Sentence - Repeal of Sentencing Date Limitation – SB 162 - passed the Senate; companion bill HB 876 was withdrawn by the sponsor. UULM-MD wants the House to pass the Senate bill without amendment.

Correctional Services - Restrictive Housing - Individuals with Developmental or Intellectual Disabilities – HB 310 – passed the House, but the Senate has not voted on companion SB 268. UULM-MD wants the Senate to pass the House bill without amendments.

Juvenile Law - Confinement and Restrictive Housing – Limitations – HB 921 - passed the House; there was no Senate companion bill. UULM-MD wants the Senate to pass the House bill without amendments.

Youth Charging Reform Act – SB 323 passed the Senate, but the House has not voted on companion HB 409. UULM-MD wants the House to pass the Senate bill without amendment.

Gun Violence Prevention:

Criminal Law - Firearm Crimes - Machine Gun Convertible Pistols – SB 334 passed the Senate, but the House has not voted on companion HB 577. UULM-MD wants the House to pass the Senate bill without amendments.

Family and Law Enforcement Protection Act - HB 83 passed the House, but the Senate has not voted on companion SB 20. UULM-MD wants the Senate to pass the House bill without amendments.

Public Safety - Gun Buyback Programs - Destruction of Firearms – SB 775 passed the Senate; there was no House companion bill. UULM-MD wants the House to pass the Senate bill without amendments.

Healthcare:

Hospitals - Emergency Pregnancy-Related Medical Conditions – Procedures – HB 372 passed the House; SB 169 passed the Senate. Neither bill was amended, so they remain identical and should both pass easily.

Birth Certificate Modernization Act – SB 626 passed the Senate, but the House has not voted on HB 1589. However, the Senate made amendments to SB 626 that have created objections within the trans community. We are hoping that the House removes the amendments and sends it back to the Senate for concurrence.

Immigration:

Data Privacy Act – HB 711 passed the House; no action on companion SB 504.

Public Schools - School Security Personnel - Immigration Investigation and Enforcement – SB 810 passed the Senate; HB 1341 passed the House. 

Correctional Services - Private Immigration Detention Facilities - Zoning Requirement - SB 984 – passed the Senate; HB 1017 passed the House, but the bills are different and will need to be reconciled. 

Correctional Services - Correctional Facilities and Immigration Detention Facilities - Minimum Mandatory Standards – HB 1018 passed the House, but the Senate has not voted on companion SB 985. UULM-MD wants the Senate to pass the House bill without amendments.

Transportation - Aviation - Passenger Health and Safety (Aviation Health and Safety Act) - HB 639 – passed the House, but the Senate has not voted on companion SB 505. UULM-MD wants the Senate to pass the House bill without amendments.

Public Safety - Law Enforcement Officers - Prohibition on Face Coverings - SB 1 passed the Senate, but the House has not voted on companion HB 155 since a federal court recently ruled that states cannot regulate this for ICE.

Constitutional Rights - Violations and Digital Unmasking – HB 351 – passed the House; no companion bill in the Senate. UULM-MD wants the Senate to pass the House bill without amendments.

Democracy:

Charitable Organizations - Charitable Donation and Tax-Exempt Status - Revocation (Keeping Charities Nonpartisan Act of 2026) – SB 4 – passed the Senate, but the House has not voted on companion HB 504. Unfortunately, there were objections in the Senate from faith groups (particularly black churches) that the bill would prohibit them from engaging in any actions during elections, so they amended SB 4 to exempt faith groups from its provisions.  We believe that these churches have misinterpreted the current IRS law and rules (which the bill would enshrine in Maryland law) since they are not currently prohibited from conducting voter registration, voter education on policies (not candidates), and get-out-the-vote efforts. As amended, faith groups will not be protected from pressure to support candidates for office should the Federal Government (executive, legislative or judiciary) take action to remove the policy prohibiting charities from engaging in partisan politics. While the bill no longer applies to UULM-MD or UU congregations, we still believe that it is important to protect charities from pressure to get involved in partisan campaigns. UULM-MD wants the House to pass the Senate bill.