Maryland had many big-ticket-items in the queue this 2023 Session and proved to be a long (or short depending on who you talk to) 90-day Session. Read more to see what bills and policies are in the headlines following adjournment. As bill signing dates are released, your Compass Government Relations team will keep you apprised of what is being signed into law and when!
Abortion
- Approved constitutional amendment to go on ballot in November 2024 to enshrine the right to abortion in the Maryland Constitution
- Passed legislation to protect patients/providers from criminal, civil, and administrative penalties relating to abortion bans or restrictions in other states
- Passed a data-privacy bill to protect medical and insurance records on reproductive health
- Universities in Maryland required to have a plan for student access to birth control methods near campuses
Cannabis
- Medical dispensaries can acquire dual licenses to sell recreational cannabis
- Tax will be 9%
- Adults 21 and over allowed to possess up to 1.5 oz and two marijuana plants
Guns
- Private property owners can control whether firearms can be brought onto their property, including commercial establishments
- Defines sensitive places where firearms cannot be carried
- Lawmakers removed the “good and substantial reason” from state law
- Tightened gun storage laws
Budget
- $62.5 billion budget for next fiscal year
- $900 million to help pay costs in future years of Blueprint for Maryland’s Future
$15 Minimum Wage
- Rate of increasing minimum wage quickened from January 1, 2025 to January 1, 2024
Paid Family Leave
- Implement law passed last year
- Require cost split evenly between worker and employer
Gender Affirming Treatment
- State expanded procedures, revisions, and reversals covered under Medicaid
Clergy-Abuse Lawsuits
- Lawmakers passed a measure to end the state’s statute of limitations for when civil lawsuits can be filed against public and private institutions related to child sexual abuse.
Offshore Wind
- Maryland to generate 8.5 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2031
- Upgrade energy grid for energy transmission from sea to land
