Maryland Senate adopts wide slate of bills, honors NCNW at opening session

ANNAPOLIS — The Maryland Senate on Feb. 26 took final action on a broad set of third‑reading bills and opened the day with a ceremonial resolution thanking the State Coalition of the National Council of Negro Women and Win With Black Women for their inaugural legislative day of action.

The Senate clerk read the resolution and the chamber unanimously thanked the coalition. “The Senate of Maryland unanimously thanks you for your service and advocacy and appreciates your incredible work in Maryland,” the presiding officer said during the presentation.

The floor moved quickly through third‑reading calendars. Clerk announcements and roll calls recorded the final passage of multiple bills, most by margins of 43 or 44 affirmative votes. Among the measures declared passed were:

- Senate Bill 113, the "Longevity Ready Maryland Act," declared passed (44‑0); - Senate Bill 123, changes to the oversight committee on quality of care in nursing homes and assisted living facilities (44‑0); - Senate Bill 184, reporting requirements for the Office of the Attorney General’s environment and natural resources unit (43‑0); - Senate Bill 200, membership and responsibilities for the State Government Council for Open Data (44‑0); - Senate Bill 243, the Uniformed Services Spousal Act (44‑0); - Senate Bill 256, revisions to the State Board of Professional Landscape Architects (43‑0); - Senate Bill 336, extension and membership changes to the Feldman task force on natural psychedelic substances (44‑0); - Senate Bill 394, public health provisions including expedited partner therapy and midwife licensing (44‑0); - Senate Bill 444, certificate‑of‑need provisions for intermediate health care facilities (43‑0); - Senate Bill 461, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program heat program eligibility (44‑0); - Senate Bill 480, creation of an off‑highway recreational vehicle oversight board (44‑0); - Senate Bill 68, motorcycle safety and driver skills provisions (44‑0); - Senate Bill 81, criminal law provisions related to school resource officers (44‑0); - Senate Bill 131, fiduciary attorney‑client privilege in estates and trusts (44‑0); - Senate Bill 182, modifications to adult protective services (44‑0); - Senate Bill 298, statewide jurisdiction for the Maryland Capitol Police (44‑0); - Senate Bill 426, Public Information Act changes regarding divorce records (44‑0); - Senate Bill 472, Baltimore County public local laws, 2025 edition (44‑0).

After the calendars, the presiding officer observed that "a lot of the debate happened in the committee," noting that many bills appear noncontroversial on the floor because issues were addressed earlier in committee proceedings.

Procedurally, the Senate reported quorum at several points (the chamber noted 42 members present early and 45 members during a later call). The body also ordered certain items to committees: for example, Senate Bill 989 (child exploitation material and the Safe Kids Act) was ordered to the Rules Committee and bond initiatives were ordered to the Capital Budget Subcommittee.

The Senate also received the Executive Nominations Committee’s favorable report and special‑ordered the governor’s appointees for consideration on Feb. 27. Floor leaders moved and the chamber agreed without objection to special‑order several items, including Senate Bill 56 (data sharing for the Maryland Longitudinal Data Center), which was deferred to the following day for further amendment discussion.

The session adjourned to reconvene Feb. 27 at 11 a.m.

Votes and actions reported on the floor were announced by the clerk and declared by the presiding officer; passage outcomes listed above reflect the clerk’s roll call totals as recorded on the Feb. 26 floor transcript.