08-04-2025
Maryland Gov. Moore to sign several bills into law following end of 2025 legislative session
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore will sign more than 90 bills into law Tuesday following the end of the 2025 legislative session.
When the
session got underway in January
, lawmakers shared several priorities, including addressing a $3 billion deficit, increasing economic growth, and lowering crime.
Of the 94 bills that Gov. Moore will sign on Tuesday, several aim to improve public safety and reduce crime in the state.
House Bill 421 and corresponding Senate Bill 36 dictate that the money from the state's 911 Trust Fund be used to support the 988 suicide prevention hotline.
HB189 and Senate Bill 187 require the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) to disqualify a person from driving a commercial vehicle for one year if they are found to be driving under the influence of alcohol.
House Bill 136 and Senate Bill 199 require that the Governor's Office of Crime Prevention and Policy assume the responsibility of paying a healthcare provider for caring for victims of alleged rape or sexual assault. This used to be the responsibility of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board.
House Bill 12 allows the Alcohol, Tobacco and Cannabis Commission to issue citations to individuals who violate a law preventing the sale of certain THC products.
Some of the other bills being signed on Tuesday address smaller policy changes.
Senate Bill 258 and House Bill 40 change the fee for sport fishing licenses from $20.50 to $32 for residents and from $30.50 to $55 for nonresidents.
Another bill, SB196, clarifies that fees collected from electronic transactions are owed to the state rather than a third party.
An energy reform legislative package and bills to protect consumers from utility spending are also heading to the governor's desk.
The Maryland General Assembly passed the 2026 budget on Sine Die, the final day of the session.
The budget included tax and fee increases along with some spending cuts to close the $3.3 billion deficit.
"I'm proud of the budget deal we crafted with the Maryland General Assembly to flip the deficit we inherited into a surplus, while ensuring 94% of Marylanders get either an income tax cut or see no change in their income taxes," Gov. Moore said in a statement.
"Our expungement bill will provide second chances to more Marylanders, so they can become part of our economic future," the governor added. "We made record investments in education while addressing commonsense adjustments to the Blueprint, which will improve education for all Maryland students."
The $67 billion budget creates new tax brackets for the highest earners in the state, which some Republican lawmakers continued to express concerns about.
"It's really scary for the six million Marylanders this new budget falls on," said Del. Stuart Schmidt, a Republican from Anne Arundel County. "I mean, the highest tax increase we've ever had in the state of Maryland, it's scary."
