Environment and Transportation Committee advances wide slate of bills on housing, transit safety, water and waste

Annapolis — The Maryland House Environment and Transportation Committee on Friday, March 14, approved a lengthy voting list that included bills on housing, transit safety, water management and waste reduction.

The committee took up dozens of measures (voting list #9), moving most with subcommittee amendments and recorded votes. The session covered measures ranging from an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) policy that preserves broad local regulatory authority to a transit safety bill requiring a ban-and-appeals framework and a managed aquifer recharge pilot to test use of treated reclaimed water.

Why it matters: the batch affects local zoning conversations, homeowner protections and public infrastructure. Several bills set statewide policy or authorize local governments and state agencies to implement programs that could change permitting, grantmaking, enforcement and transportation safety practices across Maryland.

Key outcomes and highlights

Accessory dwelling units (House Bill 14-66): The committee approved HB 14-66 as amended. The amended bill establishes a state policy encouraging creation of ADUs on land zoned for single-family detached residential use while preserving broad local authority to regulate specifics. The committee amendments require ADUs to be subordinate in use and cap an ADU at 75% of the size of the primary dwelling; they removed specified restrictions on local jurisdictions and preserved local control over parking, setbacks, health and safety and building permits. The sponsor and members discussed that the bill originally preempted local zoning but was narrowed through multiple amendments. The bill passed as amended; no recorded roll-call of yea votes was provided in the transcript.

Transit operator safety (House Bill 11-44): The committee voted to pass HB 11-44 with amendments. As amended, the bill directs the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) to develop a code of conduct and an internal safety program, and authorizes a transit operator to prohibit a person alleged to have assaulted a public transit operator from using state transit services under guidelines established by MTA. The committee added an appeals process and an amendment clarifying that the definition of "public transit operator" covers contractors; the bill also includes a backstop provision that would take effect if MTA fails to produce an acceptable policy by the statutory deadline. The bill passed; multiple members were added as cosponsors on the floor.

Managed aquifer recharge pilot (House Bill 12-96): The committee approved legislation establishing a managed aquifer recharge pilot program administered by MDE to authorize and regulate the…