As the 2026 legislative session continues, the Maryland Municipal League is actively monitoring several key bills scheduled for testimony next week. To ensure the municipal perspective is accurately represented in the record, we are inviting member cities and towns to submit written comments on the following items. These contributions are vital to documenting the local impact of proposed state policy before the committees of jurisdiction. 

The specific bills and their respective hearing dates are listed below: 

Tuesday, March 3, 2026  (testimony due Friday, February 27, 2026) 

SB 735 - Property Tax - Petition to Review Value of Commercial Real Property (FAVORABLE)  

Authorizing a county or a municipal corporation to submit an “off-cycle” petition to SDAT for review to appeal the value of commercial real property located in the county or municipal corporation that is sold to a new owner if the total sales price of the property is 20% or more than the total sales price when the property was previously sold.  

Committee: House Ways and Means 

MML Staff: Justin Fiore, [email protected] 

HB 831 - Collective Bargaining - Local Government Employees and Public Employee Relations Act (UNFAVORABLE)  

Authorizes local government employees to participate in labor unions for the purpose of collectively bargaining for certain salary and benefits. The bill also sets parameters for dispute resolution and establishment of local laws.  

Committee: House Government, Labor, and Elections Committee 

MML Staff: Bill Jorch, [email protected]  

HB 1239 - Public Safety - Critical Infrastructure Protection (FAVORABLE) 

This bill would improve coordination and information sharing between State and local governments. The creation of the new Critical Infrastructure Protection Branch would work with local agencies to help secure and protect critical infrastructure. The bill would also allow municipal critical infrastructure owners and operators to become members of the MD Information Sharing and Analysis Center to receive updated cybersecurity reporting standards. 

Committee: House Government, Labor, and Elections 

MML Staff: Iris Ibegbulem, [email protected] 

HB 894 - Land Use - Transit-Oriented Development - Alterations (Maryland Transit and Housing Opportunity Act) (FAVORABLE WITH AMENDMENTS) 

The Act automatically designates qualifying transit-oriented developments as enterprise zones, prioritizes redevelopment of state-owned land near rail stations for economic development loans, prohibits local governments from imposing minimum parking requirements and certain zoning restrictions near qualifying rail stations, mandates allowance of mixed-use developments in specified areas, delays collection of certain impact fees for residential projects, and adds project labor agreements as a scoring preference for transit-oriented development funding. It also applies several provisions retroactively and clarifies the limits of local authority over state transportation land and environmental/health concerns. 

Committee: House Economic Matters Committee 

MML Staff: Angelica Bailey Thupari, [email protected] 

Thursday, March 5, 2026  (testimony due Tuesday, March 3, 2026) 

SB 825 - Public Safety - Critical Infrastructure Protection (FAVORABLE) 

This bill would improve coordination and information sharing between State and local governments. The creation of the new Critical Infrastructure Protection Branch would work with local agencies to help secure and protect critical infrastructure. The bill would also allow municipal critical infrastructure owners and operators to become members of the MD Information Sharing and Analysis Center to receive updated cybersecurity reporting standards. 

 Committee: Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment 

MML Staff: Iris Ibegbulem, irisi@mdmunicipal.org  

Friday, March 6, 2026  (testimony due Tuesday, March 4, 2026) 

HB 1336 – Procurement Contracts and Construction Contracts - Payments (UNFAVORABLE) 

The bill extends prompt payment laws to include local government entities. It mandates prompt payment to contractors and subcontractors, requires written notice with specificity when payments are withheld, limits the amount withheld to twice the dispute, and imposes a 2% per month interest rate on late payments that cannot be waived or altered by contract. The bill also allows work stoppages for nonpayment (with notice) without penalty and provides for attorney’s fees in successful enforcement actions.  

 Committee: House Government, Labor, and Elections 

MML Staff: Justin Fiore, [email protected] 

 How to submit testimony: