Maryland General Assembly 2026 Wrap-up

April 13th, 2026

We are in a season of difficult challenges and significant change. State legislators came into this session knowing the federal government can no longer be counted on as a stable partner. Indeed, in dozens of cases we are legal adversaries. President Trump and his enablers continue to make decisions that endanger our communities and seek to deprive our democracy of its soul. 

The Maryland House of Delegates also experienced a major shift in its composition two weeks before the start of session. We elected a new Speaker: Joseline Peña-Melnyk, the first immigrant and Latina woman to hold the position. She immediately made significant changes: installing new leadership, creating a new committee, and shifting the subject areas covered by standing committees. As a result of this reorganization, I am honored to now serve as the Vice Chair of the Economic Matters Committee. 

The Maryland General Assembly wasted no time and immediately began to do the people’s work. I am particularly proud we were able to pass legislation to prohibit local law enforcement from assisting the federal government with its brutal immigration enforcement. With unity to support our immigrant communities, both chambers passed the measure, the Governor signed it, and its implementation has already begun.

Affordability, accountability, and opportunity served as our guiding light this session. Through long committee hearings and floor sessions, the House reviewed 1,646 bills and passed a balanced budget with no new taxes. The Economic Matters Committee is the new home for bills related to housing policy and I am proud of the work we did to get some significant pieces of legislation out to speed the development of more housing and to create stability for renters. I also worked closely with advocates and stakeholders to find resolutions on complex bills, such as the bill to prevent predatory pricing in grocery stores. And while energy bills are no longer in my committee, I served as a member of the Speaker’s “Energy Huddle” and fought hard to preserve and support policies that protect rate-payers, prioritize clean energy and promote responsible electrical grid management.

While this 90-day legislative session has ended, I am more ready than ever to continue the good work District 20 expects of me. We know the Trump administration will continue its efforts towards ruinous authoritarianism and we must stay strong in the face of it. I promise to continue standing arm in arm with you as we fight our way through it and towards a more just and inclusive Maryland. 

Highlighted below are brief descriptions of some of the most significant legislation we considered this Session. All legislation listed passed both chambers and has been sent to the Governor, unless otherwise indicated. All bills are hyperlinked to the General Assembly website so you can read the actual final bill language.

Items marked with an asterisk (*) are bills I introduced. HB = House Bill and SB = Senate Bill. 

Climate, Energy, and the Environment

Utility RELIEF (Reducing Energy Load Inflation for Everyday Families) Act (HB1532) - Energy costs are one of the highest burdens our community is facing right now. This Session we prioritized making bills more affordable while optimizing our use of clean energy. Some significant aspects of this mammoth bill include: 

• Data centers: This legislation establishes stronger standards to make sure data centers pay for their impact on the electric grid. It also creates a large load registry to track information about planned energy and water usage at these facilities.

• Clean Energy for Data Centers: Data centers that get 80% –100% of their energy from clean energy sources and pay prevailing wages for workers constructing the facility will now be eligible for priority interconnection to the grid. This language came from my bill (HB940/SB596).

• Forecasted Ratemaking: Forecasted ratemaking is a process where a utility predicts what energy demand will look like in a hypothetical future year, then develops their costs based on the need to meet that predicted demand. A moratorium on this practice was created to limit increases on electricity rates while the Public Service Commission studies if this is a good practice for ratepayers. 

• Universal Service Programs: We expanded access to these cost-saving programs to individuals not eligible under federal law. I have been working for years to find a path for undocumented residents to access energy assistance under the state umbrella and I am so proud this will now come to fruition.

• Improving the Efficiency of the Electrical Grid: Utilities will be required to demonstrate they are using advanced transmission and grid-enhancing technologies, to get the most bang for the buck on our transmission system. This language came from my bill (HB40/SB201).

• Balcony Solar: Small, portable, “balcony” solar units will now be authorized for use in the state, which will ensure all households who want to join the clean energy movement have access. This language was incorporated from my bill (HB345/SB341).

*Affordable Solar Act (HB345/SB341) - Reforms the current solar incentive program to protect ratepayers and ensure these incentives are tailored to increase solar deployment in the most efficient and cost effective way possible. I was disappointed this bill did not pass in its entirety this session, but I am glad the balcony solar provisions made it into the Utility Relief Act and I will be participating in Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard improvement work in the interim.

Climate Crimes Accountability Act (HB572/SB432) - Authorizes the Attorney General to sue entities for contributing to climate change. Unfortunately, this bill did not progress this Session. 

CHERISH Our Communities Act (HB1268/SB781) - Reforms environmental permitting through the Maryland Department of the Environment by adding procedures to protect overburdened communities. Unfortunately, this bill did not progress this Session.

Maryland Beverage Container Recycling Refund and Litter Reduction Program (HB331/SB342) - Creates a refundable deposit for most beverage containers, incentivizing returning the empty containers and decreasing litter. Unfortunately, this bill did not progress this Session.

Endangered Species and Migratory Birds Regulations (HB578/SB431) - Strengthens Maryland’s existing protections for migratory birds and state-listed endangered and threatened species.

*Community Choice Aggregation Pilot Program (HB597/MC 17-26) - Extends the deadlines for Montgomery County’s Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) Program pilot project.

*PJM Exit Study (HB143/SB92) - Requires the Public Service Commission and the Maryland Energy Administration to study the costs and benefits of joining with other surrounding states to leave PJM and create a new regional transmission organization. I was disappointed that this bill did not progress, but we will continue to work on PJM issues. 

Criminal Justice Reform

Machine Gun Convertible Pistols (HB577/SB334) - Prohibits the sale of DIY machine guns, handguns that can be easily and quickly converted into fully automatic weapons using illegal “switches”. This bill passed through both chambers but, unfortunately, didn’t make it out this session. 

Youth Charging Reform Act (HB409/SB323) - Limits the automatic charging of youth as adults.

Family and Law Enforcement Protection Act (HB83/SB20) - Strengthens Maryland’s Domestic Violence Protective Order process by ensuring firearm safety requirements are clear, enforceable, and effective. This bill passed out of the House but, unfortunately, didn’t progress in the Senate. 

Immigration

Clear Zoning Rules for Private Detention Facilities (HB1017/SB984) - Prevents a private detention facility from being approved unless the zoning code explicitly allows it.

*No Kings Act (HB332/SB346) - Allows Marylanders to sue federal agents who violate their U.S. Constitutional rights. 

Maryland Values Act of 2026 (HB1341/SB810) - Adds courthouses to the list of ‘sensitive locations’ where ICE cannot do enforcement; also prohibits school resource officers from participating in immigration enforcement and requires reporting to school leadership on immigration enforcement in schools.

Community Trust Act (HB1575/SB791) - Limits state and local law enforcement from colluding with federal immigration enforcement, allowing police to focus on genuine public safety and build trust with immigrant communities.

Immigration Enforcement Agreements Prohibition (HB0444/SB245) - Prohibits 287(g) agreements in the state; these agreements allow for local law enforcement to be deputized by ICE to carry out federal immigration enforcement activities.

*Data Privacy Act (HB711/SB504) - Ensures that Marylanders’ sensitive data stored in state-maintained databases is shielded from unwarranted federal surveillance and misuse and reassures Marylanders that state agencies prioritize their safety and privacy.

*Aviation Health and Safety Act (HB639/SB505) - Increases safety and transparency standards for flights with detained individuals on board. This bill passed out of the House, but unfortunately did not pass in the Senate. 

Prohibition on Face Coverings (HB155/SB1) - Mandates that the Police Training and Standards Commission create a uniform policy prohibiting law enforcement officers from wearing face coverings except in certain circumstances. 

Labor and Employment

Collective Bargaining for Graduate Assistants (HB141/SB84) - Provides the right to collectively bargain to certain graduate assistants at public colleges and universities.

Collective Bargaining for Nontenure Track Faculty (HB106/SB6) - Extends collective bargaining rights to nontenure track faculty at public colleges and universities. 

Maryland Worker Freedom Act (HB45/SB417) - Prohibits employers from retaliation against employees who chose not to attend employer meetings with religious or political content. 

Arbitration Reform for State Employees Act of 2026 (HB604/SB28) - Establishes a neutral arbitration framework for collective bargaining for state workers.

Two-Man Crew (HB862/SB156) - Requires freight trains that share tracks with high-speed passenger rail be staffed with a minimum of a two-person crew operating the train. 

Fraud Prevention, Prevailing Wage, and Living Wage Enforcement (HB299/SB60) - Enforces provisions of the Workplace Fraud Act, prevailing wage law, and living wage law, and increases penalties for violations of those labor laws. Unfortunately, this bill did not cross the finish line this session. 

*Unemployment Insurance Modernization Act of 2026 (HB188/SB) - Raises the maximum weekly benefit amount, increases the taxable wage base to ensure solvency of the Trust Fund. We fought hard to make these much needed changes to our UI system but, unfortunately, it did not pass this year. I will be bringing it back next Session.

Health Reform

The Vax Act (HB637/SB385) - Establishes new authority for the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Health to issue official recommendations for immunizations, screening, and preventive services for Marylanders based on science and clinical guidance.

Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders Protections (HB280/SB205) - Codifies portions of the 2024 federal Mental Health Parity Rule to strengthen enforcement of parity requirements for the treatment of mental health and substance use disorders.

*Community Forensic Aftercare Program (CFAP) Reform (HB658/SB412) - Codifies existing best practices for CFAP while increasing transparency and access to advocates for patients. 

Birth Certificate Modernization Act (HB1589/SB626) - Updates the process for changing birth certificates, allowing the use of an “X” gender marker and enabling parents who have legally changed their names to update those names on their children’s birth certificates. Unfortunately, this bill didn’t cross the finish line this session. 

Maryland Protecting People With Disabilities Act (HB1445/SB742) - Prevents the Maryland Department of Health from procedurally disenrolling participants from Medicaid or home- and community-based services based on missing documentation.

Child Care

Child Care Scholarship Program (HB849) - Establishes clear policies for how families access the Child Care Scholarship Program while the waitlist is in place; including new categories that can bypass the waitlist such as children experiencing homelessness and families receiving services such as Temporary Cash Assistance. 

Child Care Scholarship Program - Application Process and Copays (HB1321) - Reforms how families contribute to the cost of childcare while protecting affordability. 

Maryland Child Care Credential Program Funding Extension (HB561/SB467) - Helps Maryland’s childcare workers obtain professional credentials and advance their career training. 

Government Accountability and Reform

Children in Unlicensed Settings and Pediatric Hospital Overstay Patients (HB1559) - Prohibits the use of unlicensed settings like hotels, offices, homeless shelters, or hospital emergency departments for Department of Human Services out–of–home placements.

Kanaiyah’s Law (HB980/SB996) - Requires the Secretary of Human Services to establish and maintain a Guardianship Assistance Program to promote the placement and maintenance of children in permanent guardianship homes.

Federal Obligations Enforcement Act (HB706/SB828) - Authorizes Department of Budget and Management's Central Collection Unit to collect federal funds owed to the state, place liens on federal property in the state, and direct the Comptroller’s Office to withhold payments to the federal government if the Board of Public Works determines it to be delinquent in federal funds owed to the state.

Department of Budget and Management - Audit and Finance Compliance Unit - Establishment (HB1369/ SB858) - Establishes a new Audit and Finance Compliance Unit (AFCU) within the Department of Budget and Management to monitor how Executive Branch agencies correct audit findings from the Office of Legislative Audits (OLA).

Voter Protections

Voter Rights Act of 2026 (HB350/SB255) - Protects members of protected classes from being disenfranchised by unfair district maps and other discriminatory elections systems.

Election Misinformation Prevention (HB145/SB141) - Prohibits anyone from making or spreading ‘deepfake’ materials that show misinformation about elections. 

Housing and Rental Fairness

Income-Based Housing Subsidies Protection (HB315/SB335) - Prevents landlords from using income level, credit score, or pre-subsidy negative credit history as a proxy to deny any tenant who receives a voucher to pay for their housing.

Housing Certainty Act (HB548/SB325) - Reduces regulatory, zoning, and financial burdens on home builders, to increase housing development in the state. 

Good Cause Eviction (HB774/SB462) - Allows counties and municipalities to pass their own laws stating landlords and property managers must have a good reason to evict renters, such as failure to pay and other approved reasons. I fought hard to get this bill out of the House, but unfortunately it did not pass out of the Senate. 

Maryland Fair Chance Housing Act (HB1073/SB937) - Gives renters with a criminal record a fair chance to secure housing.

*Fire Safety Training and Standardization Act (HB149/SB513) - Requires high-rise rental buildings that undergo renovations equal to 40 percent of the building's value to also install fire sprinklers. Also creates stronger licensing and training standards for those who do fire inspections.

*Cooperative Limited Equity Housing Corporations (HB85/SB511) - Creates a process for establishing a limited equity housing cooperative, adding a new tool for developing and maintaining affordable housing.

*Individual Water Submeters (HB0220/SB130) - Expands renter protections by authorizing landlords to install separate water meters for each apartment to make sure tenants only pay what they actually owe and requires transparency in that process.

Reducing Lead Risk in Housing (HB1549/SB872) - Expands the definition of ‘rental dwelling unit’ in lead standards statutes to encompass more living spaces. 

Air Conditioning Requirements for Residential Rentals (HB153/SB12) - Requires landlords of larger apartment buildings to provide functioning air conditioning during the summer months. 

Maryland Transit and Housing Opportunity Act (HB894/SB389) - Removes barriers to addressing our housing shortage by allowing more homes and businesses to be built near transit stations served by high-frequency rail.

Transit, Pedestrian Safety, and Land Use

Transportation and Climate Alignment Act of 2026 (HB437/SB59) - Requires the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) to evaluate and offset the greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle miles traveled from major highway expansion projects. Unfortunately, this bill passed out of the House, but did not make it out of the Senate.

Metro Funding Modification Act of 2026 (HB386/SB281) - Ensures that critical tri-state capital funding for WMATA is adjusted for inflation and scaled to meet state-of-good repair needs starting in FY29. Unfortunately, while this bill passed out of the House, it did not make it out of the Senate.

Abandoned Cemetery and Cemetery Sale Reform (HB892/SB233) - Creates protections and procedures when cemeteries are abandoned or sold so that communities with connections to the graves are informed, involved with the process, and have legal redress. 

Food Security and Access

*Edible Forests and Foraging Program (HB72/SB667) - Directs the Department of Natural Resources to create a permit process for foraging on state land and dedicate those funds to the development of food forests. While this bill did not progress this session, I will continue to work with the Department and stakeholders in the interim.

*MCPS Local Food Procurement (HB936/MC 7-26) - Requires MCPS to identify current spending on food procured locally and create goals to increase the procurement of locally grown food.

Repurposed Unused Funding for Community Kitchen - Secured $150,000 in the capital budget to support the renovation of the Long Branch Community Center’s kitchen for food production and to work in conjunction with the community garden. 

Economic Fairness and Accountability

Earned Wage Access (HB237/SB94) - Prohibits payday loan apps from charging hidden fees and abusive interest rates.

Protection From Predatory Pricing Act (HB895/SB387) - Prohibits grocery stores and online platforms from using dynamic pricing to overcharge consumers for everyday necessities.

Cash Payments in Retail Transactions (HB191) - Ensures Marylanders can pay with cash for essential, in-person retail purchases.

Budget

Budget Bill FY27 (HB390/SB282) and the Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act of 2026 (BRFA) (HB392/SB284): Maryland is confronting the real consequences of federal actions that have displaced tens of thousands of workers, reduced funding for critical programs, and created economic uncertainty for our residents. In response, the House worked closely with the Senate and the Governor’s Office to develop a budget that meets this moment. This budget directly addresses our fiscal challenges while continuing to move Maryland forward by making strategic investments in transportation, education, social services, public safety, and economic development. It achieves that balance through disciplined cost containment and strong accountability measures, without raising taxes on Marylanders. Some of the key pieces are listed below. 

• Food Assistance: $1.7 billion for SNAP, which supports 687,000 recipients – a critical investment in our people at a time of harsh federal cutbacks. 

• Transportation & Infrastructure: $463M for safety improvements under the Pedestrian Safety Action Plan, alongside a historic $500M investment in bike and pedestrian connectivity to expand transportation options, reduce congestion, and improve safety and environmental outcomes for all.

• Energy Assistance: $300M for the Office of Home Energy Programs and $82M for Maryland Energy Assistance Program.

• Developmental Disabilities: with massive growth in the department and federal guidelines mandating that parts of the program not exceed certain cost levels or we could lose the federal match, we were forced to make some painful cuts. These were targeted changes to prevent potential loss of the waiver, which would have led to increases in institutionalization. The MDGA was able to restore $25M of the proposed reductions from the Governor’s budget and have dedicated funds to further analyze how to streamline costs and meet the needs of the community.

Grants for District 20 Capital Investments

The District 20 Delegation worked hard to fund the following local capital projects in the Capital Budget (SB283): 

• Emma's Torch: $550,000 for the expansion of the Emma’s Torch project to build a state-of-the art teaching kitchen, classroom, cafe, and offices in Silver Spring to support the Culinary Training Program for refugees and asylees. 

• Montgomery Parks MLK Jr Park: $500,000 for the renovation and site improvement of Martin Luther King Jr. Recreational Park, including the design of a new Bocce Plex with ADA access, parking lot improvements, infrastructure, and site furnishings. 

• Takoma Park Bike Path Improvement: $500,000 to continue the Metropolitan Branch Trail project (MBT), which implements safe routes for multi-use pedestrian and bicycle paths.

• Montgomery County Pride Center: $500,000 to create the new resource center in Silver Spring for expanded culturally-competent service delivery and system navigation. 

• Long Branch Main Street Neighborhood: $150,000 to help acquire and create a new business incubator space in Long Branch, which will include local coffee vendor La Finca Coffee. 

• Korean Community Services Center of Greater Washington, Inc.: $100,000 for renovations of their branch office where services are provided for senior residents. 

• WeAchieve: $450,000 to replace the roof at WeAchieve so they can continue to provide critical services to individuals with disabilities. 

• Clifton Park Baptist Church and Springbrook Farm: $50,000 to establish an urban farm on school property to grow food for students and community members. 

• Springsong Museum: $1,000,000 to make improvements to the museum. 

• MC Local Public School Playgrounds: Oak View Elementary: $150,000 

• Takoma Park Facade Improvements: $100,000

• Historic Takoma Park Bank: $150,000

Delegate Scholarship

As a Member of the House of Delegates, I am able to provide my constituents with academic scholarships. This scholarship is available to students planning to attend a Maryland community college, four-year university, or graduate school during the 2026-2027 school year. Applications must be completed and submitted by Friday, May 15th, 2026. Applications can be completed online: https://bit.ly/CharkoudianScholarship26 

Thank You

To the advocates, volunteers, and community organizers who work tirelessly and show up throughout the year: your resilience and dedication inspires me! I appreciate your passion, activism, and the continued invitation to your community events, which keeps me informed about District 20 priorities. I am also grateful for the hard work of my Chief of Staff Rose Stutz; Legislative Aide Tierney Acosta; wonderful interns Abbey Vanasse and Diana Renderos; and Legacy Leader Kate Stein. I’d also like to thank the amazing committee staff of the Economic Matters Committee who supported me as I navigated my first session as Vice Chair. 

Let’s stay in touch! As you can tell, I am already making plans for next year’s Session. Over the coming months, I will continue to reach out to all corners of District 20 and our great state. I also encourage you to reach out to me. The best way to contact me and my staff is via email at lorig.charkoudian@house.maryland.gov. You may also leave a message at (410)-841-3423. 

Onward,

Lorig Charkoudian