Issue 40 | April 20, 2026

Last Monday, the Maryland General Assembly adjourned its annual 90-day legislative session in Annapolis. This year’s session saw the introduction of thousands of bills, as well as the adoption of a $70.8 billion budget.

Below is a non-exhaustive recap of some of the notable legislation headed to Governor Wes Moore’s desk for signature or veto:

Real Estate

• Senate Bill 937: The Maryland Fair Chance Housing Act mandates that landlords may only conduct criminal history records checks for prospective tenants if all prospective tenants are subject to the screening. The bill also outright bans requiring prospective tenants from submitting to drug and alcohol testing. Under the legislation, landlords may, however, automatically exclude prospective tenants convicted of certain crimes. 
• Senate Bill 12: Requires that newly constructed or renovated apartments provide each unit with air conditioning from June 1 to September 30.
• House Bill 894: The Maryland Transit and Housing Opportunity Act brings significant enhancement and expansion to transit-oriented development opportunities in Maryland, defined as mixed use developments that are placed within a half mile of transit stations. 
• Senate Bill 651 and House Bill 738: Known as the Maryland Transfer-on-Death Deed Act, this legislative package allows homeowners to establish a beneficiary who receives the homeowner’s property upon the homeowner’s death, without the property having to go through probate. This option was previously limited to certain bank and retirement accounts. 
• Senate Bill 325 and House Bill 548: The Maryland Housing Certainty Act prohibits local governments from collecting development impact fees or excise taxes on residential real estate projects until construction of the project is actually complete and necessary occupancy permits have been issued. 
• Senate Bill 756 and House Bill 1232: Aims to further spur economic growth in the heart of Baltimore by establishing a Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) incentive for economic development projects located in Baltimore City’s Downtown RISE District.

Employment

• Senate Bill 417: The Maryland Worker Freedom Act amends the list of reasons for which an employee cannot be terminated or an applicant cannot be refused hire to include the employee/applicant’s decision to not participate in an employer-sponsored meeting regarding the employer’s opinion on religious or political matters. 
• House Bill 1016: Expands the list of noncompete clauses that are void to cover licensed architects whose employers have for practical purposes left Maryland and no longer have a majority of their employees report to a primary work site in the state.

Misc.

• House Bill 1372: Mandates that the Maryland Health Care Commission publish “ratings or other quality metrics” that come out of inspections of facilities the Commission oversees, and creates a commission to develop recommendations for improving collaboration, oversight, and efficiency of health occupation boards.
• Senate Bill 131 and House Bill 65: Extends attorney-client privilege protections to communications between an attorney and a fiduciary acting on behalf of a beneficiary. 

To end on a large note, Senate Bill 35 officially designates the Megalodon (Otodus Megalodon) as the Maryland state shark.

What's Next?

In the coming months, Gallagher LLP will provide comprehensive reports through its Monday Minute series regarding which of the legislature’s priorities are signed into law and how these new provisions might impact you and your business.

If you have questions about the legislative developments above, please reach out to:

View all of our Monday Minute issues here.

For 65 years, Gallagher has been a trusted partner to businesses and non-profits across the Mid-Atlantic region and nationwide. We represent leading universities, hospitals, financial institutions, real estate developers, and more. Our firm is experienced in a wide range of practice areas, including real estate development, affordable housing, civil litigation, confidential investigations, healthcare, employment law, corporate law, renewable energy, and tax-driven transactions. We pride ourselves on offering innovative, practical solutions with a personal touch, acting as your partner and trusted advisor. With a deep commitment to seeing challenges from every angle, Gallagher is here to help you navigate the complex legal landscape with confidence. For more information, visit www.GallagherLLP.com.