Current Status of Priority Legislation

Status of Priority Bills

2024 Legislative Session

Below are all of the bills related to our priorities that have had one chamber pass at least one of the companion bills. The bills are in alphabetical order by Issue (Climate Change, Criminal Justice, Gun Violence, Healthcare, Immigration, and Medical Aid in Dying), so first scroll down to the issue you seek. Once you find a bill of interest, scroll right to see additional information, such as bill description.

For further information on any bill listed below, please go to the Maryland General Assembly website and enter the bill number in the Search field.

Issue	Subject	Bill Number	XFile Bill No.	Sponsor	Title	Status	Current Location	Position	Priority	Synopsis
Climate Change	Clean Water Justice	HB1101	SB0653	Delegate Love	Standing - Environmental and Natural Resources Protection Proceedings (Clean Water Justice Act of 2024)	Passed Enrolled	Governor	Support	X	Providing certain persons standing in environmental and natural resources protection proceedings; authorizing persons that meet standing requirements to bring certain civil actions under certain circumstances; requiring a plaintiff, under certain circumstances, to give certain notice and provide certain documentation to the Department of the Environment and the Attorney General and to file a certain affidavit; authorizing a court to grant certain relief, award certain costs, and impose certain civil penalties; etc.
Climate Change	Clean Water Justice	SB0653	HB1101	Senator Augustine	Standing - Environmental and Natural Resources Protection Proceedings (Clean Water Justice Act of 2024)	Returned Passed	Governor	Support	X	Providing certain persons standing in certain environmental and natural resources protection proceedings; authorizing persons that meet certain standing requirements to bring certain civil actions under certain circumstances; requiring a plaintiff, under certain circumstances, to give certain notice and provide certain documentation to the Department of the Environment and the Attorney General in a certain manner and to file a certain affidavit; etc.
Climate Change	Climate & Environmental Equity Act	HB0024	SB0096	Delegate Boyce	Department of the Environment - Environmental Justice Evaluation of Environmental Permit Applications	Failed-no vote in opposite committee	Education, Energy, and the Environment	Support	X	Requiring the Department of the Environment to perform a certain environmental justice evaluation of certain environmental permit applications under certain circumstances; authorizing the Department to take certain actions on certain environmental permit applications based on certain findings to address environmental concerns; requiring the Department to maintain a publicly accessible website, part of a website, or application that identifies pending permit applications with specific census tracts; etc.
Climate Change	Climate & Environmental Equity Act	SB0096	HB0024	Senator Jackson	Environment - Impact of Environmental Permits and State Agency Actions	Failed-no vote in original committee	Education, Energy, and the Environment	Support	X	Requiring the Department of the Environment to conduct a climate and environmental equity evaluation regarding the impact of issuing an approval for certain environmental permits; requiring the Department to provide opportunities for residents of the State to opt in to text, phone, e-mail, or regular mail notifications regarding any facility with a pending or final permit approval in or adjacent to the resident's census tract; altering certain reporting requirements for certain State agencies; etc.
Climate Change	EmPOWER Reform	HB0864		Delegate Crosby	Energy Efficiency and Conservation Plans	Passed Enrolled	Governor	Support	X	Requiring each electric company, each gas company, and the Department of Housing and Community Development to develop a plan for achieving certain energy efficiency, conservation, and greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets through certain programs and services and superseding certain existing energy efficiency and conservation goals; requiring the Public Service Commission to establish a working group to study and make recommendations on extending certain program assistance to certain moderate-income households; etc.
Climate Change	Thermal Energy Pilot Programs	HB0397	SB0570	Delegate Charkoudian	Public Utilities – Thermal Energy Network Systems – Authorization and Establishment (Working for Accessible Renewable Maryland Thermal Heat (WARMTH) Act)	Passed Enrolled	Governor	Support	X	Requiring gas companies serving at least 75,000 customers in their distribution territories and authorizing gas companies serving fewer than 75,000 customers to develop a plan for a pilot thermal energy network system or systems on or before October 1, 2024; requiring certain gas companies to submit a certain proposal or proposals to the Public Service Commission for approval on or before July 1, 2025; authorizing certain entities or a community organization to submit neighborhoods for consideration as part of a pilot system; etc.
Climate Change	Thermal Energy Pilot Programs	SB0570	HB0397	Senator Hester	Public Utilities - Thermal Energy Network Systems - Authorization and Establishment (Working for Accessible Renewable Maryland Thermal Heat (WARMTH) Act)	Returned Passed	Governor	Support	X	Requiring certain gas companies and authorizing certain gas companies to develop a plan for a pilot thermal energy network system or systems by October 1, 2024; requiring a gas company that serves at least 75,000 customers in its distribution territory to submit either one or two proposals for a pilot system to the Public Service Commission for approval by July 1, 2025; authorizing a municipal corporation, county, or community organization to submit neighborhoods to gas companies for consideration as part of a pilot system; etc.
Criminal Justice	Correctional Ombudsman	HB0297	SB0134	Delegate Davis	Office of the Correctional Ombudsman - Establishment and Funding	Failed-no vote in opposite committee	Judicial Proceedings	Support	X	Establishing the Office of the Correctional Ombudsman; authorizing the Justice Reinvestment Oversight Board to make a recommendation for the distribution of money from the Performance Incentive Grant Fund to the Office; requiring the Office to conduct investigations, reviews, and assessments of administrative acts taken by the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, by the Department of Juvenile Services, or in relation to individuals confined by either department; providing for the confidentiality of certain communications; etc.
Criminal Justice	Correctional Ombudsman	SB0134	HB0297	Senator Hettleman	Office of the Correctional Ombudsman - Establishment and Funding	Passed Enrolled	Governor	Support	X	Establishing the Office of the Correctional Ombudsman; authorizing the Justice Reinvestment Oversight Board to make a recommendation for the distribution of money from the Performance Incentive Grant Fund to the Office; requiring the Office to conduct investigations, reviews, and assessments of administrative acts taken by the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, by the Department of Juvenile Services, or in relation to individuals confined by either Department; providing for the confidentiality of certain communications; etc.
Criminal Justice	Juvenile Justice Reform	HB0814	SB0744	Speaker	Juvenile Law - Reform	Passed Enrolled	Governor	Support w/Amendments	X	Altering certain provisions relating to the Commission on Juvenile Justice Reform and Emerging and Best Practices; altering the jurisdiction of the juvenile court over a child of a certain age alleged to have committed a certain offense; altering certain provisions relating to the taking of a child into custody by a law enforcement officer; expanding certain provisions of law relating to the entry onto certain school or other property by, and the education of, certain sex offender registrants; etc.
Criminal Justice	Juvenile Justice Reform	SB0744	HB0814	President	Juvenile Law - Reform	Failed-no vote in opposite committee	Judiciary	Support w/Amendments	X	Altering the jurisdiction of the juvenile court over a child of a certain age alleged to have committed a certain offense; altering certain procedures relating to juvenile intake, detention, and probation; requiring the Secretary of Juvenile Services to include certain programs in a certain plan; requiring the State Board of Victim Services to include certain information about filing a certain complaint in a certain pamphlet; repealing certain provisions relating to the State Advisory Board for Juvenile Services; etc.
Criminal Justice	Medical Parole	HB0185	SB0132	Delegate Bartlett	Correctional Services - Medical Parole - Life Imprisonment	Failed-no vote in original committee	Judiciary	Support	X	Repealing provisions relating to gubernatorial approval of a decision of the Maryland Parole Commission to grant medical parole to an inmate serving a sentence of life imprisonment.
Criminal Justice	Medical Parole	SB0132	HB0185	Senator Carter	Correctional Services – Medical Parole – Life Imprisonment	Failed-no vote in opposite committee	Judiciary	Support	X	Repealing provisions relating to gubernatorial approval of a decision of the Maryland Parole Commission to grant medical parole to an inmate serving a sentence of life imprisonment.
Criminal Justice	Prevention of Forced Infant Separation	HB0191	SB0071	Delegate Mireku-North	Correctional Services - Pregnancy and Postpartum Support (Prevention of Forced Infant Separation Act)	Failed-no vote in original committee	Judiciary	Support	X	Requiring the Division of Correction to allow a certain pregnant woman and a certain woman who recently gave birth to transfer to the prerelease unit for women for 1 year following the birth; establishing the Healthy Start Bonding Program to facilitate strong bonds between incarcerated women and their children; and requiring the Division to allow liberal visitation between certain individuals and certain children under certain circumstances.
Criminal Justice	Prevention of Forced Infant Separation	SB0071	HB0191	Senator Carter	Correctional Services - Pregnancy and Postpartum Support (Prevention of Forced Infant Separation Act)	Failed-no vote in opposite committee	Judiciary	Support	X	Requiring the Division of Correction to allow a certain pregnant woman and a certain woman who recently gave birth to transfer to the prerelease unit for women for up to 1 year following the birth; establishing the Healthy Start Bonding Program to facilitate strong bonds between incarcerated women and their children; and requiring the Division to allow liberal visitation between certain individuals and certain children under certain circumstances.
Criminal Justice	Prison Education (REAP)	HB0092	SB0620	Delegate Amprey	Resources and Education for All Prisons (REAP) Act	Passed Enrolled	Governor	Support	X	Requiring the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to assist incarcerated individuals in accessing federal Pell Grants for higher education; requiring the Maryland Department of Labor to set goals for the number of incarcerated individuals in certain education programs, establish tracking systems relating to the number of incarcerated individuals and their progress in certain education programs, and forward certain data to the Maryland Higher Education Commission; etc.
Criminal Justice	Prison Education (REAP)	SB0620	HB0092	Senator Carter	Resources and Education for All Prisons (REAP) Act	Returned Passed	Governor	Support	X	Requiring the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to assist incarcerated individuals in accessing federal Pell Grants for higher education; requiring the Department to set goals for the number of incarcerated individuals in certain education programs, establish tracking systems relating to the number of incarcerated individuals and their progress in certain education programs, and forward certain data to the Maryland Higher Education Commission; etc.
Criminal Justice	Reentry Services for Women	HB0037		Delegate Bartlett	Services for Formerly Incarcerated Women - Commission and Pilot Program - Establishment	Failed-no vote in opposite committee	Judicial Proceedings	Support	X	Establishing the Commission on Services for Formerly Incarcerated Women overseen by the Governor's Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services to create a comprehensive plan for services for formerly incarcerated women; requiring the Commission to study the challenges faced by formerly incarcerated women, identify existing services and service gaps, and report its findings to the Governor and General Assembly by June 30, 2025; and establishing the Pilot Program for Formerly Incarcerated Women.
Gun Violence	Active Shooter Drills	HB0416	SB0432	Delegate Solomon	Public Schools - Active Shooter Safety Drills or Trainings - Requirements	Passed Enrolled	Governor	Support	X	Requiring the Maryland Center for School Safety to collaborate with an institution of higher education or a designated federal or national research entity to study the effectiveness and impact of active shooter safety drills or trainings by researching and analyzing data collected by local school systems; requiring the Center to identify best practices for active shooter safety drills or trainings on or before October 1, 2024; requiring local school systems to provide parents with the annual schedule of active shooter safety drills; etc.
Gun Violence	Active Shooter Drills	SB0432	HB0416	Senator Kagan	Public Schools - Active Shooter Safety Drills or Trainings - Requirements	Failed-not assigned to opposite standing committee	Rules and Executive Nominations	Support	X	Requiring the Maryland Center for School Safety to collaborate with an institution of higher education or a designated federal or national research entity to study the effectiveness and impact of active shooter safety drills or trainings by researching and analyzing data collected by local school systems; requiring the Center to identify best practices for active shooter safety drills or trainings on or before October 1, 2024; requiring local school systems to provide parents with the annual active shooter safety drill schedule; etc.
Gun Violence	Center for Firearm Violence Prevention	HB0583	SB0475	Speaker	Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention - Establishment	Passed Enrolled	Governor	Support	X	Establishing the Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention in the Maryland Department of Health to reduce firearm violence, harm from firearm violence, and misuse of firearms in the State by partnering with federal, State, and local agencies and affected communities to implement a public health approach to firearm violence reduction; requiring the Center by May 1, 2025, to submit to the Governor and General Assembly a preliminary State Plan for a Public Health Approach to Reducing Firearm Violence; etc.
Gun Violence	Center for Firearm Violence Prevention	SB0475	HB0583	President	Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention - Establishment	Passed Enrolled	Governor	Support	X	Establishing the Center for Firearm Violence Prevention in the Maryland Department of Health to reduce firearm violence, harm from firearm violence, and misuse of firearms in the State by partnering with federal, State, and local agencies and affected communities to implement a public health approach to firearm violence reduction; requiring the Center, by May 1, 2025, to submit to the Governor and the General Assembly a preliminary State Plan for a Public Health Approach to Reducing Firearm Violence; etc.
Gun Violence	Gun Industry Accountability	HB0947	SB0488	Delegate Phillips	Civil Actions - Public Nuisances - Firearm Industry Members (Gun Industry Accountability Act of 2024)	Returned Passed	Governor	Support	X	Prohibiting firearm industry members from knowingly creating, maintaining, or contributing to a public nuisance through the sale, manufacture, distribution, importation, or marketing of a firearm-related product under certain circumstances; requiring a firearm industry member to establish and implement certain reasonable controls regarding the sale, manufacture, distribution, importation, marketing, possession, and use of certain firearm-related products; authorizing certain civil actions for violations of the Act; etc.
Gun Violence	Gun Industry Accountability	SB0488	HB0947	Senator Waldstreicher	Civil Actions - Public Nuisances - Firearm Industry Members (Gun Industry Accountability Act of 2024)	Failed-no final vote in opposite chamber	House Floor	Support	X	Prohibiting firearm industry members from knowingly creating, maintaining, or contributing to harm to the public through the sale, manufacture, distribution, importation, or marketing of a firearm-related product under certain circumstances; requiring a firearm industry member to establish and implement certain reasonable controls regarding the sale, manufacture, distribution, importation, marketing, possession, or use of certain firearm-related products; authorizing certain civil actions for violations of the Act; etc.
Gun Violence	Increased taxes on firearms & ammunition	HB0935	SB0784	Delegate Mireku-North	Comprehensive Community Safety Funding Act	Failed-no vote in original committee	Ways and Means	Support	X	Imposing an excise tax on certain gross receipts of certain firearms dealers derived from the sales of firearms, firearm accessories, and ammunition in the State; etc.
Gun Violence	Increased taxes on firearms & ammunition	SB0784	HB0935	Senator Elfreth	Comprehensive Community Safety Funding Act	Failed-no vote in opposite committee	Ways and Means	Support	X	Altering the sales and use tax rate imposed on firearms, firearm accessories, and ammunition from 6% to 11%; and providing that the sales and use tax does not apply to the sale of certain firearm accessories and ammunition.
Healthcare	Gender Affirming Treatment Rights	HB0691	SB0119	Delegate Moon	Legally Protected Health Care - Gender-Affirming Treatment	Failed-no vote in original committee	Health and Government Operations	Support	X	Altering the definition of 'legally protected health care' to include certain gender-affirming treatment, including medications and supplies, for the purposes of certain provisions of law that prohibit health occupations disciplinary actions and certain actions in criminal and civil proceedings and the use of certain resources in furtherance of certain investigations and proceedings related to legally protected health care.
Healthcare	Gender Affirming Treatment Rights	SB0119	HB0691	Senator Lam	Legally Protected Health Care - Gender-Affirming Treatment	Returned Passed	Governor	Support	X	Altering the definition of 'legally protected health care' to include certain gender-affirming treatment, including medications and supplies, for the purposes of certain provisions of law that prohibit health occupations disciplinary actions and certain actions in criminal and civil proceedings and the use of certain resources in furtherance of certain investigations and proceedings related to legally protected health care.
Immigration	Access to Care	HB0728	SB0705	Delegate Cullison	Health Insurance - Qualified Resident Enrollment Program (Access to Care Act)	Returned Passed	Governor	Support	X	Requiring the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange to establish and implement the Qualified Resident Enrollment Program to facilitate the enrollment of qualified residents in qualified plans; providing that the operation and administration of the Program may include functions delegated by the Exchange to a third party; and providing that the implementation of the Program is contingent on approval of a certain waiver application amendment.
Immigration	Access to Care	SB0705	HB0728	Senator Hayes	Health Insurance - Qualified Resident Enrollment Program (Access to Care Act)	Returned Passed	Governor	Support	X	Requiring the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange to establish and implement the Qualified Resident Enrollment Program to facilitate the enrollment of qualified residents in qualified plans; providing that the operation and administration of the Program may include functions delegated by the Maryland Exchange to a third party; and providing that the implementation of the Program is contingent on approval of a certain waiver application amendment.

Status of Priority Bills

2024 Legislative Session

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