2026 MD Legislative Session Wrap up

April 21, 2025 2026 LEGISLATIVE SESSION WRAP UP With the conclusion of the 2026 Maryland General Assembly session, Family League of Baltimore is proud to offer our stakeholders, funded partners, and colleagues a comprehensive review of the key legislation that shaped this session’s outcomes for Maryland’s children and families. This session unfolded against a backdrop of continued fiscal pressure at the state level and an uncertain federal policy environment—conditions that made every advocacy effort more important and every legislative win more meaningful. Despite these headwinds, the General Assembly delivered a balanced budget with no tax or fee increases and moved forward on a range of policy priorities directly aligned with the communities Family League serves.

Family League monitored and engaged with legislation spanning four priority areas: High-Quality Childcare and Education, Healthy Families, Economically Secure Families, and Safe and Thriving Communities. Across these areas, we are encouraged by the bills that advanced to the Governor’s desk and remain vigilant as implementation begins. The work of this session reflects the collective voice of advocates, service providers, and community members who showed up, testified, and refused to let the complexity of this moment diminish the urgency of investing in Maryland’s children and families.

FUNDING VICTORIES: FY2027 BUDGET This session presented significant challenges as Maryland entered budget deliberations carrying substantial fiscal deficit—one that required lawmakers to make difficult tradeoffs across every area of state investment. Against that backdrop, Family League and our partners at the Maryland Association Local Management Board came forward with clear, evidence-backed priorities. We are pleased to report a significant victory: the passage of SB668/HB680, which renames the Children’s Cabinet Fund to the Children’s Cabinet Interagency Fund (CCIF) and, critically, establishes a funding floor or grants to LMBs through FY2031. This legislation begins to reverse more than a decade of funding erosion for the infrastructure that Maryland depends on to translate state investment into community-level results.

The significance of this win cannot be overstated. Maryland’s 24 Local Management Boards—present in every jurisdiction across the state—are the connective tissue between policy and practice. For every $1 invested in LMBs, an estimated $3 in total community value is generated, supporting more stable families, safer neighborhoods, and stronger local services from the City of Baltimore to every suburban, and rural county. Alongside continued support for Governor Moore’s ENOUGH Initiative, the FY2027 budget positions Maryland families on stronger footing than when this session began. Family League extends deep appreciation to the legislators who championed this effort, particularly those who held firm on LMB funding even when competing priorities threatened to crowd it out.

We also recognize that not every priority crossed the finish line. Several bills in our portfolio were referred to committee and did not advance this session, underscoring the continued need for organized, sustained advocacy. Family League will carry these priorities into interim engagement and the 2027 session, ensuring momentum is not lost.

“This session reminded us that advocacy is not a single moment—it is sustained commitment. Securing longterm, reliable funding for Local Management Boards through SB668/HB680 was not just a budget win; it was an affirmation that the infrastructure holding Maryland’s communities together deserves to be treated as the essential investment it is. Every child served, every family stabilized, every neighborhood strengthened is a return on that investment. We are grateful to the legislators who understood that, and we are energized for the work ahead.”

—Demaune Millard, President and CEO, Family League of Baltimore

Page 1 of 5 FAMILY LEAGUE OF BALTIMORE WORKS COLLABORATIVELY TO SUPPORT DATA-INFORMED, COMMUNITY-DRIVEN SOLUTIONS THAT ALIGN RESOURCES TO DISMANTLE THE SYSTEMIC BARRIERS WHICH LIMIT THE POSSIBILITIES FOR CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES.

LEGISLATIVE ACHIEVEMENTS The 2026 session produced significant activity across Family League’s four priority areas. Of bills tracked, several have advanced to Governor Moore’s desk for signature, while others were referred to committee for further consideration. Below is a summary organized by focus area, with passed legislation prioritized.

Bills of Interest by focus area: •

High-Quality Childcare and Education: 10 bills tracked

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Healthy Families: 3 bills tracked

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Economically Secure Families: 8 bills tracked

•

Safe and Thriving Communities: 1 bill tracked

HIGH-QUALITY CHILDCARE AND EDUCATION PASSED—Awaiting Governor’s Signature: •

HB1321 Child Care Scholarship Program – Application Process and Copays: Requires Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) to identify and assist applicants eligible for pre-K, Head Start, and Early Head Start; limits certain copays while waitlists remain active.

•

SB402/HB396 Residential Child Care Programs – Education and Training: Shifts operator requirements toward providing direct educational opportunities for children in their care and mandates training for child and youth care practitioner applicants.

•

SB311/HB490 Education – The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future – Revisions: Extends compensatory education enrollment calculation methods through FY2027, revises teacher certification qualifications, and suspends the Expert Review Team Program for the 2026-27 school year.

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SB70/HB297 MDiplomaWorks Pathway: Establishes an alternative high school diploma pathway recognizing academic and workforce competencies; requires the Department of Labor to publicize the option statewide.

MONITORED/SUPPORTED—Referred to Committee: •

HB1034 Child Care – Child Abuse and Neglect Training: Requires childcare providers to complete abuse detection and reporting training within 90 days of hire and annually thereafter.

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SB659/HB1032 Prekindergarten Programs – Student Privacy and Discrimination Reporting: Requires public and private schools to adopt student privacy policies; mandates annual discrimination reporting by private schools to MSDE.

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SB664/HB910 Child Care Scholarship Program – Priority for Child Care Providers: Would require MSDE to prioritize childcare workers’ children for scholarship eligibility beginning July 2026. [SUPPORT]

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HB1373 After School and Out of School Time – Independent Regulatory Framework Study: Would require MSDE to study and recommend a standalone regulatory framework for after-school programs, with a report due December 2026. [SUPPORT]

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HB1292 Child Advocacy Centers – Continuity of Care Standards: Would require advocacy centers to employ licensed mental health professionals and establish continuity of care plans. [SUPPORT]

•

SB289/HB352 Concentration of Poverty School Grant Program: Would repeal the limitation on using personnel and per-pupil grants for fine arts programs through FY2027.

Page 2 of 5 FAMILY LEAGUE OF BALTIMORE WORKS COLLABORATIVELY TO SUPPORT DATA-INFORMED, COMMUNITY-DRIVEN SOLUTIONS THAT ALIGN RESOURCES TO DISMANTLE THE SYSTEMIC BARRIERS WHICH LIMIT THE POSSIBILITIES FOR CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES.

HEALTHY FAMILIES PASSED—Awaiting Governor’s Signature: •

HB1559 Children in Unlicensed Settings and Pediatric Hospital Overstay Patients: Prohibits placement of children in unlicensed out-of-home settings; establishes the Child and Youth Placement Review Panel and the Advisory Council on Maryland’s Systems of Care for Children, Youth, and Families.

MONITORED/SUPPORTED—Referred to Committee: •

SB187/HB935 Comprehensive Rehabilitative Prerelease Services for Incarcerated Women: Would require expanded prerelease services for female incarcerated individuals and mandate a new facility, with implementation

by September 2026.

•

HB1131 Pregnancy Outcome Protection Act: Would prohibit criminal investigation or civil liability related to pregnancy loss under most circumstances; establishes a private right of action for violations. [SUPPORT}

ECONOMICALLY SECURE FAMILIES PASSED—Awaiting Governor’s Signature: •

HB1181 Children in Out-of-Home Placement – Voluntary Placement Agreements: Updates provisions governing voluntary placements and requires a joint DHS/MDH report on affected children by October 2029.

•

HB1490 Family Investment Program – Good Cause Exceptions for Child Support: Prohibits DHS from penalizing families for noncooperation with child support when doing so would be against a child’s best interest, including in domestic violence situations. [SUPPORT]

•

SB376/HB470 Digital Asset and Blockchain Technology Task Force: Establishes a task force to study blockchain and cryptocurrency regulation in Maryland; report due October 2027.

MONITORED/SUPPORTED—Referred to Committee: •

HB628 Foster Care Transition Grant Program: Would provide $1,000 annual grants to individuals aging out of foster care beginning FY2028; payments excluded from benefit eligibility calculations. [SUPPORT]

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SB864/HB982 Tuition Exemption for Foster Care Recipients: Would expand foster care tuition exemption eligibility to individuals in out-of-home placement on or after their 8th birthday (currently 13th). [SUPPORT]

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SB977/HB1278 Maryland Positive Youth Development Commission and Fund: Would establish a grants commission within MSDE to fund positive youth development programming.

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HB952 Companion Chatbots – Regulation: Would regulate operations of AI companion chatbots, with enhanced protections for minor users and data collection limits.

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SB989/HB924 Safe Kids Act – Child Exploitation Material: Would expand criminal and civil liability for child exploitation material and raise the age of victimhood from 16 to 18.

SAFE AND THRIVING COMMUNITIES PASSED—Awaiting Governor’s Signature: •

SB668/HB680 Children’s Cabinet Fund – Renaming and Funding for Local Management Boards: Renames the Children’s Cabinet Fund to the Children’s Cabinet Interagency Fund and establishes a funding floor for LMB grants through FY2031. [SUPPORT]

Page 3 of 5 FAMILY LEAGUE OF BALTIMORE WORKS COLLABORATIVELY TO SUPPORT DATA-INFORMED, COMMUNITY-DRIVEN SOLUTIONS THAT ALIGN RESOURCES TO DISMANTLE THE SYSTEMIC BARRIERS WHICH LIMIT THE POSSIBILITIES FOR CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES.

MONITORED/SUPPORTED—Referred to Committee: •

SB658/HB768 DHS – Benefits for Children in Custody: Would require DHS to use certain child benefits in the child’s best interest and establish a foster youth savings program to support transition to independence.

•

HB1073 Maryland Fair Chance Housing Act: Would limit landlord access to criminal history during tenant screening, advancing housing access for individuals with records. [SUPPORT]

BILL SIGNING PROCESS Governor Moore presided over the first bill signing ceremony for the 2026 post-session on April 14, 2026—just hours after the Maryland General Assembly adjourned sine die—signing over 140 bills into law in the Governor’s Reception Room.

Governor Moore was joined by Senate President Bill Fergusion and House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk, who together highlighted the session’s focus on affordability and protecting Marylander’s amid shifting federal policy.

Among the bills signed in the first ceremony were the Vax Act, which establishes Maryland’s Secretary of Health as the independent authority for vaccine and preventive care recommendations, and the Jillian and Lindsay Wiener Short-Term Rental Safety Act, mandating fire safety equipment and inspections in short-term rentals statewide. Governor Moore has three additional public bill signing ceremonies scheduled in the coming weeks, during which many of the Family Leaguetracked bills currently awaiting signature are expected to be signed into law. Updates will be posted to the Governor’s Bill Signings page at governor.maryland.gov.

LOOKING AHEAD As bill signing ceremonies continue and implementation of new legislation begins, Family League will remain actively engaged in monitoring outcomes and supporting our partners in translating policy wins into on-the-ground impact. Several priority bills did not advance this session, including key measures on childcare workforce support, foster care transition funding, fair chance housing, and expanded tuition exemptions—issues that remain urgent for the families we serve.

Family League is committed to carrying these priorities forward. We will continue to engage with the Governor’s Office for Children, the State Department of Education, and the Department of Human Services as new laws take effect, ensuring that implementation reflects the intent of our stakeholders and the needs of communities. The passage of SB668/HB680 is a foundation to build upon—not a finish line.

As we look toward the months ahead, Family League will also deepen our focus on Baltimore City policy and budget developments that affect children and families, particularly as it relates to funding streams, health care access, and child welfare programs. Our role as a local convener and systems navigator positions us to respond quickly when conditions change—and to effectively offer agency for communities counting on us.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP Family League extends its deepest appreciation to every stakeholder, funded partner, government official, and staffer who engaged with us throughout the 2026 session. Your calls, emails, public testimony, and persistent presence in Annapolis made a tangible difference. The legislative victories this session—particularly the long-term investment in Local Management Boards—were made possible because a broad coalition of voices spoke clearly and consistently about what Maryland’s families need.

We are especially grateful to the members of the Maryland General Assembly who championed the bills in our portfolio, who listened to their constituents, and who held firmly funding priorities even under difficult fiscal conditions. Special appreciation goes to the legislators who supported SB668/HB680 and worked across chambers to ensure its passage—your commitment to the infrastructure to community well-being will be felt for years to come.

Page 4 of 5 FAMILY LEAGUE OF BALTIMORE WORKS COLLABORATIVELY TO SUPPORT DATA-INFORMED, COMMUNITY-DRIVEN SOLUTIONS THAT ALIGN RESOURCES TO DISMANTLE THE SYSTEMIC BARRIERS WHICH LIMIT THE POSSIBILITIES FOR CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES.

The impact of this work is not measured only in bill numbers and budget lines. It is measured in children who receive quality care, families who find economic stability, and communities that are safer and more connected. Family League is proud to stand alongside so many partners in this work, and we look forward to what we will build together in the months and years ahead.

For more information about Family League’s ongoing work, please visit www.familyleague.org or follow us on social media.

Page 5 of 5 FAMILY LEAGUE OF BALTIMORE WORKS COLLABORATIVELY TO SUPPORT DATA-INFORMED, COMMUNITY-DRIVEN SOLUTIONS THAT ALIGN RESOURCES TO DISMANTLE THE SYSTEMIC BARRIERS WHICH LIMIT THE POSSIBILITIES FOR CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES.