House Bill 100, titled "Insurance Pooling - Public Entity - Definition," proposes changes to the definition of "public entity" for insurance pooling purposes in Maryland. Key provisions include:

- Altering the definition of "public entity" to include a Resilience Authority.
- Allowing public entities to pool together to purchase casualty insurance, property insurance, or health insurance, or to self-insure against these risks.

The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2025.

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House Bill 107, titled "Consumer Protection - Automatic Renewals," proposes changes to the regulation of automatic renewal offers in Maryland. Key provisions include:

- Requiring clear and conspicuous presentation of the terms of the automatic renewal offer before the subscription or purchasing agreement is fulfilled.
- Providing consumers with an easily accessible disclosure of the methods to cancel the automatic renewal.
- Allowing consumers to terminate the offer in a manner that does not delay, hinder, or obstruct their ability to terminate the automatic renewal.
- Requiring notice to consumers before the automatic renewal takes effect.
- Prohibiting automatic charges to a consumer's credit card without clear and conspicuous notice.

The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2025.

- Requiring governmental units to compute overtime pay for firefighters based on each hour over 168 hours worked during a 28-day work period.
- Mandating that counties and municipalities provide payroll information, including rate of pay, regular pay periods, and overtime rate of pay, to firefighters at the time of hiring and any change in pay.
- Allowing firefighters or their exclusive representatives to initiate a grievance if payroll information or wages are not provided as required.
- Establishing damages for failure to provide payroll information or wages, with damages increasing per pay period until the missing wages and information are provided.

The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2025.

- Establishing that certain firefighters, fire fighting instructors, rescue squad members, advanced life support unit members, and members of the Office of the State Fire Marshal are presumed to have hypertension for purposes of an occupational disease presumption if certain requirements are met.
- Defining the criteria for demonstrating disablement and hypertension under the workers' compensation law.

The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2025.

- Altering the penalties for causing serious physical injury or death of a vulnerable individual as a result of operating a motor vehicle in violation of certain provisions of law.
- Imposing imprisonment not exceeding 2 months, a fine not exceeding $2,000, or both, for individuals convicted of such violations.
- Requiring individuals charged with such violations to appear in court and prohibiting prepayment of the fine.
- Allowing the court to order individuals convicted of such violations to participate in a motor vehicle safety course and perform up to 150 hours of community service.
- Mandating the suspension of the driver's license of individuals convicted of such violations for at least 7 days but not more than 6 months.

The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2025.

- Establishing that any provision in a consumer contract that sets a shorter period of time to bring an action than required under state law is void.
- Providing that a violation of this act is considered a violation of the Consumer Protection Act.
- Generally relating to consumer contracts.

The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2025.

• Establishing an appeal process for persons subject to the digital advertising gross revenues tax who receive a notice of assessment from the Comptroller.

• Authorizing the Comptroller or the Comptroller's designee to issue an order to correct an erroneous assessment of the digital advertising gross revenues tax, subject to certain conditions.

The act is set to take effect on January 1, 2026, and will be applicable to assessments made after December 31, 2025

- Repealing and establishing the methodology used to calculate the weekly benefit amount.
- Altering the taxable wage base used to determine employer contributions to the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund, the dependent allowance, and the amount of earned wages subtracted from a weekly benefit amount.
- Requiring the Maryland Department of Labor to determine and make available online the State annual average wage applicable to the rate of contribution.

The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

- Altering the exemption criteria for individuals employed in an administrative, executive, or professional capacity.
- Specifying salary and fee basis requirements for the exemption.
- Defining primary duties related to management, business operations, and professional work.

The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2025.

compliance for a person that complies with the requirements by the State or Federal regulatory agency (p.6; lines 1-3)

Senate Bill 49, titled "Consumer Protection - Automatic Renewals," proposes changes to the regulation of automatic renewal offers in Maryland. Key provisions include:

- Requiring clear and conspicuous presentation of the terms of the automatic renewal offer before the subscription or purchasing agreement is fulfilled.
- Providing consumers with an easily accessible disclosure of the methods to cancel the automatic renewal.
- Allowing consumers to terminate the offer in a manner that does not delay, hinder, or obstruct their ability to terminate the automatic renewal.
- Requiring notice to consumers before the automatic renewal takes effect.
- Prohibiting automatic charges to a consumer's credit card without clear and conspicuous notice.
- Establishing that compliance with certain regulations shall be considered compliance with this Act.
- Establishing that a violation of this Act is an unfair, abusive, or deceptive trade practice.

The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2025.

Senate Bill 102, titled "Insurance Pooling - Public Entity - Definition," proposes changes to the definition of "public entity" for insurance pooling purposes in Maryland. Key provisions include:

- Altering the definition of "public entity" to include a Resilience Authority.
- Allowing public entities to pool together to purchase casualty insurance, property insurance, or health insurance, or to self-insure against these risks.

The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2025.

- Requiring governmental units to compute overtime pay for firefighters based on each hour over 168 hours worked during a 28-day work period.
- Mandating that counties and municipalities provide payroll information, including rate of pay, regular pay periods, and overtime rate of pay, to firefighters at the time of hiring and any change in pay.
- Allowing firefighters or their exclusive representatives to initiate a grievance if payroll information or wages are not provided as required.
- Establishing damages for failure to provide payroll information or wages, with damages increasing per pay period until the missing wages and information are provided.

The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2025.

- Establishing that certain firefighters, fire fighting instructors, rescue squad members, advanced life support unit members, and members of the Office of the State Fire Marshal are presumed to have hypertension for purposes of an occupational disease presumption if certain requirements are met.
- Defining the criteria for demonstrating disablement and hypertension under the workers' compensation law.

The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2025.

- Altering the additional percentage the Uninsured Employers' Fund Board may direct the Workers' Compensation Commission to assess on awards and settlements if the Board determines that the reserves of the Fund are inadequate to meet anticipated losses.
- Generally relating to the Uninsured Employers' Fund.

The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

- Requiring the Workers' Compensation Commission to make the Fund a party to a claim filed against an uninsured employer.
- Authorizing a covered employee or their dependents to apply to the Director of the Fund for payment from the Fund.
- Altering requirements related to notice of claims, raising of issues, payment of awards, and reimbursement of awards.
- Requiring the Fund to pay certain additional awards under specific circumstances.

The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

- Requiring the State Workers' Compensation Commission to regulate fees and other charges for the reimbursement of prescription drugs and pharmaceutical services.
- Limiting reimbursements to a certain cost index or indexes based on acquisition cost, calculated on a per unit basis, as of the date of dispensing, and may include reasonable dispensing fees.
- Generally relating to reimbursement for prescription drugs and pharmaceutical services under workers' compensation law.

The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2025.

- Altering the penalties for causing serious physical injury or death of a vulnerable individual as a result of operating a motor vehicle in violation of certain provisions of law.
- Imposing imprisonment not exceeding 2 months, a fine not exceeding $2,000, or both, for individuals convicted of such violations.
- Requiring individuals charged with such violations to appear in court and prohibiting prepayment of the fine.
- Allowing the court to order individuals convicted of such violations to participate in a motor vehicle safety course and perform up to 150 hours of community service.
- Mandating the suspension of the driver's license of individuals convicted of such violations for at least 7 days but not more than 6 months.

The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2025.

- Establishing that any provision in a consumer contract that sets a shorter period of time to bring an action than required under state law is void.
- Providing that a violation of this act is considered a violation of the Consumer Protection Act.
- Generally relating to consumer contracts.

The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2025.

- Repealing certain limitations on noneconomic damages in civil actions for personal injury or wrongful death.
- Generally relating to noneconomic damages.

The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2025.

• Establishing an appeal process for persons subject to the digital advertising gross revenues tax who receive a notice of assessment from the Comptroller.

• Authorizing the Comptroller or the Comptroller's designee to issue an order to correct an erroneous assessment of the digital advertising gross revenues tax, subject to certain conditions.

The act is set to take effect on January 1, 2026, and will be applicable to assessments made after December 31, 2025

- Altering the membership of the Uninsured Employers' Fund Board from 3 to 5 members.
- Requiring the Board to establish reserves to meet potential losses of the Uninsured Employers' Fund.

The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2025.