Key Bills Passed By the House this Week

HB 283 - Trans Health Equity Act ensures that Maryland Medicaid covers gender-affirming care when that care is deemed medically necessary by a licensed healthcare provider in accordance with current clinical standards.

HB 410 - Election Reform Act of 2023 updates election policy to ensure transparent, open and fair elections. It saves local polling places from unnecessary closures, creates a floor for the number of polling places per county, and requires that historically disenfranchised communities are protected when approving polling place plans.

HB 546 - Serving Every Region Through Vocational Exploration Act of 2023. This is a Moore/Miller Administration bill, which provides access and exposure to public service for young Marylanders by creating a service year option for high school graduates to work for community organizations and nonprofit groups. The service year option will incorporate a flexible design to allow for programs that appeal to a broad spectrum of young people with a wide range of career interests.

HB 552 - Innovation Economy Infrastructure Act of 2023. This Administration bill establishes the Build Our Future Grant Pilot Program within the state Department of Commerce to better support technology projects, develop innovation infrastructure and bring needed jobs across the state.

HB 554 - Keep Our Heroes Home Act expands the state’s existing tax exemption for military retirement income to encourage more of our military veterans to retire here at home in Maryland.

HB 824 - Public Safety – Regulated Firearms – Possession and Permits to Carry, Wear, and Transport a Handgun. House Bill 824 strengthens gun safety in Maryland by adjusting Maryland's conceal-carry permitting process. Among other requirements, HB 824 prohibits possession of a regulated firearm by a person who is younger than 21, a person who suffers from a “mental disorder” and has a history of violent behavior, or a person who has been involuntarily admitted for more than 30 consecutive days to a facility for treatment of a mental disorder. It also doubles the fees for a wear-and-carry permit, a renewal or subsequent application, and a duplicate or modified permit; these fees have not been increased since 1992.

HB 200 Budget Bill (Fiscal Year 2024)
This year's budget secures our state's financial future while continuing to make critical investments in Maryland’s economy as well as our transportation, education, technology, infrastructure, and physical and behavioral health sectors.
FY 24 Budget:
  • funds continued cost of living raises so we can provide competitive salaries and recruit and retain great workers as we seek to rebuild state government and fill record vacancies across our state agencies;
  • continues to make record investments in public education so every student has a chance to succeed;
  • includes new behavioral health investments so we can better address the mental health crisis in Maryland;
  • makes continued investments in enhancing the child tax credit and expanding other benefits that support Marylanders in need to lift families out of poverty and support our working families; and
  • prioritizes the development and utilization of renewable energy and other important steps to reach our goal of a clean, sustainable environment.  

HB 1219 - Maryland Educator Shortage Act of 2023. Another Administration bill, HB 1219 addresses the record vacancies in Maryland’s schools by requiring the State Department of Education to create new and permanent pathways into the education profession. It enhances programs to recruit and retain new educators, including diversifying the workforce with outreach to HBCUS and to students who are members of groups that are under-represented among teachers, and reforming the way we qualify childcare providers.