February 9, 2026
We’re keeping a close eye on what’s happening in the General Assembly, especially bills that could affect your business. So far, the Senate has introduced 845 bills and the House has put forward 1,143. By the end of the session, we expect that number to climb to around 3,000 though many of those won’t move very far.
A big date to watch is March 23rd, known as Crossover Day. That’s when we’ll get a much clearer sense of which bills are actually going somewhere. To stay alive in the process, a bill has to pass one chamber by that date. We’ll keep you posted on which ones “make the cut.”
In the meantime, we’re focusing this update on legislation that affects employment and the workplace, and you’ll find more details on those topics below.
There’s also been a lot of discussion around one of the biggest issues of 2026: Affordability. Rising electric rates for both households and businesses are driving much of the conversation, and several bills have been introduced to address the problem. At our recent Legislative Breakfast, Delegate Chisholm shared a package of proposals aimed at tackling exactly this issue including
HB 79 the Climate Solutions Affordability Act of 2026
Part of the energy debate ties back to the growth in data centers, which require substantial power to support the servers behind today’s AI-driven applications. Two bills in particular are getting attention: HB 120, which proposes a moratorium on new data center construction, and HB 560, which would change the Sales and Use Tax applied to data centers. This is definitely a conversation that’s going to heat up.
And speaking of heating up—our Breakfast with Mayor Littman is happening this Thursday! We already have more than 100 people signed up, but we do still have a few seats left. If you’d like to join us, just click HERE.
Thank you for staying engaged and involved. As always, the Chamber will continue to keep you informed and advocate on your behalf.
Moving Forward,
Mark Kleinschmidt
President/CEO
Workplace Legislation to Watch
As the legislative session moves forward, there are a two bills that could have a direct impact on employers across Maryland. Both measures involve changes that may increase costs and expand responsibilities for businesses.
HB 476: Changes to Liability Laws for Injuries on Your Property
The first bill, HB 476, proposes a major change to how noneconomic damages such as pain and suffering are handled in personal injury and wrongful death cases. Right now, Maryland law places limits on these types of damages. HB 476 would eliminate those caps, allowing much higher awards in lawsuits involving injuries that occur on your property.
For employers, the potential impact is significant. Without limits on noneconomic damages, businesses could face greater financial exposure in liability claims, and insurance carriers may respond with higher premiums.
HB 188: Updates to the Unemployment Insurance System
The second measure, HB 188, focuses on Maryland’s Unemployment Insurance (UI) program. The bill aims to “modernize” the system, but several provisions would likely increase employer costs.
HB 188 would:
- Change the formula used to calculate weekly UI benefits,
- Raise the taxable wage base that employers pay into, and
- Starting in 2027, set the maximum weekly benefit at 40% of the state’s average weekly wage.
Higher benefit payouts often lead to higher unemployment insurance premiums for employers to maintain the health of the trust fund.