One Week to Go- Priority Bills Passing

Please check out the full digest here: 3-31-2025 Digest

Healthcare – 3 measures moving forward

• Public Health Abortion Grant Program – HB 930 – passed the House and SB 848 – passed the Senate with identical language. Both have now passed 2nd Reading in the opposite chamber. Once they pass 3rd Reading, they will be ready for signature by the Governor.

• State-Based Young Adult Health Insurance Subsidies Pilot Program - Sunset Repeal – SB 5 passed the Senate and HB 297 passed the House with identical language. Both have now passed 2nd Reading in the opposite chamber. Once they pass 3rd Reading, they will be ready for signature by the Governor. 

• Prescription Drug Affordability Board - Lowering Prescription Drug Costs for All Marylanders – HB 424 passed the House and SB 357 passed the Senate with amendments. The House Health and Government Operations Committee has adopted amendments to the Senate bill that will satisfy both houses and reported it to the House Floor. Once it passes the House on 2nd Reading and 3rd Reading, it appears that the Senate will accept the amendments, and the bill will be ready for signature by the Governor.  The Senate is likely to do the same with the House bill so that both can be signed into law.

Climate Change – 4 measures moving forward

• Data Center Impact Analysis and Report -  HB 270 passed the House and SB 116 passed the Senate. However, Senate amendments removed provisions to include an analysis of potential energy impacts of the data center industry, limiting it to only an analysis of environmental impacts. These amendments were presented to the House Economic Matters Committee at a hearing on Tuesday. ECM will need to accept the amendments or a  conference committee will need to resolve the differences.

• Transportation and Climate Alignment Act – HB 84 – was amended and passed the House, and it was heard in the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee where companion bill SB 395 was heard earlier.

• Responding to Emergency Needs From Extreme Weather (RENEW) Act – SB 149 - passed Senate and HB 128 passed the House. Since the two bills have identical language, passage of either one through the opposite house will complete the process.

• Environment - Packaging Materials - Producer Responsibility Plans – SB 901 – passed the Senate and a hearing was held in the House Environment & Transportation Committee. A subcommittee work session was held on Friday, so the bill may move soon. 

Criminal Justice – 4 measures moving forward

• Petition to Reduce Sentence (Maryland Second Look Act) – HB 583 – passed the House and has been reported out of Judicial Proceedings Favorable (no amendments).  Once the bill passes 2nd and 3rd Reading in the Senate, it will be ready for the Governor’s signature.

• Comprehensive Rehabilitative Prerelease Services - Female Incarcerated Individuals – HB 1198 – passed the House without amendment and SB 632 was amended and passed 2nd reading in the Senate. The differences between the chambers will need to be reconciled.

• Geriatric and Medical Parole – SB 181 – passed the Senate; while Medical and Elder Parole – HB 1123 - passed the House. Although on the same subject, these are not companion bills, and their considerable differences will need to be reconciled.  A committee hearing has been held for each bill in its opposite chamber.

• Medical Parole - Life Imprisonment – SB 648 – amended and passed the Senate; companion bill HB 311 was heard in the House Judiciary Committee, so a hearing may not be held before a vote is taken.

Gun Violence Prevention – 3 measures moving forward

• Trafficking Regulated Firearms - Felony Classification – SB 443 – passed the Senate and was heard in House Judiciary.

• Gun Buyback Programs - Destruction of Firearms – SB 444 – passed the Senate and was heard in House Judiciary.

• Exception to Armed Trespass Prohibition - Retired Law Enforcement Officials – SB 585 – passed the Senate; companion bill HB 308 was heard in the House Judiciary Committee, so a hearing may not be held before a vote is taken.

Immigration – 3 measures moving forward

• Higher Education - Undocumented Students - Out-of-State Tuition Exemption Eligibility - HB 207 Passed the House and has been heard in the Senate Education, Energy and the Environment Committee, which heard companion bill SB 268 earlier.

• Public Safety - Immigration Enforcement (Maryland Values Act) – HB 1222,  – passed the House and was heard in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee on Thursday.

• Protecting Sensitive Locations Act – SB 828 - passed the Senate and was heard in House Judiciary, where companion bill HB 1006 was heard earlier. Meanwhile, the unrelated immigration bill that amended to include SB 828 provisions and renamed: HB 579 – Nonimmigrant Status Petitions and Immigration Enforcement at Sensitive Locations. This bill passed the House and was voted out of Senate Judicial Proceedings Favorable with Amendments. When the bill is brought to the Senate Floor on Monday, we will learn if they stripped off the sensitive locations amendments.

To keep track of the progress of our priority bills, check Current Status of Priority Bills on our website frequently, as it is updated frequently during the last week.  Also, keep an eye out for alerts from our Issue Leads to make sure your contacts with your lawmakers are timely and effective.