ANNAPOLIS, Md. — From artificial intelligence in classrooms and new consumer protections to immigration enforcement and election rules, a series of new Maryland laws took effect this month and could impact residents in ways both large and small.
Passed during the 2026 General Assembly session and signed by Gov. Wes Moore, the measures are among the first laws from this year’s legislative session to reach their effective dates, bringing changes to schools, government agencies, businesses and voters statewide.
Here’s what Maryland residents should know.
Immigration: New Rules At Jails And Hospitals
Maryland drew some of the sharpest lines in the country this session around what federal immigration enforcement can and cannot do inside state public institutions. These laws now set clear rules for correctional facilities, hospitals and public schools.
At Correctional Facilities — Community Trust Act
Effective June 1, 2026
The Community Trust Act prohibits state and local correctional facility employees from asking about or investigating an individual’s citizenship, immigration status or place of birth. It also bans correctional facilities from holding people at the request of ICE or transferring them to an ICE facility unless a valid judicial warrant is presented.
Exceptions allow for communication with ICE if a person is convicted of a felony under state law, is placed on Maryland’s sex offense registry, is sentenced to serve time in a state prison or has served five or more years in prison in another state. The law is currently being challenged in court by a coalition of Maryland sheriffs.
Read Community Trust Act — SB 791 — on the Maryland General Assembly website.
At Hospitals — Senate Bill 792
Effective June 1, 2026
Senate Bill 792 requires hospitals statewide to adopt protocol consistent with guidance published by the state attorney general for when ICE enforcement activity occurs at their facilities — including recording officers’ credentials, contacting legal representation and generally permitting agents into restricted areas only if they present a valid judicial warrant.
Read Senate Bill 792 on the Maryland General Assembly website.
Education: Schools Must Now Have A Plan For Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence Ready Schools Act — Senate Bill 720
Effective June 1, 2026
Senate Bill 720 requires the Maryland Department of Education to issue formal guidance on the use of artificial intelligence in local public schools. Once that guidance is published, schools will have 120 days to adopt aligned policies, designate an AI coordinator and procure the relevant AI tools needed to comply.
The State Department of Education must also incorporate AI literacy into its workforce preparation and computer science standards, and provide professional development courses for teachers and school leadership.
For families in Charles, Calvert and St. Mary’s counties, that means each local school system will soon be required to have a clear written policy on how AI is — and isn’t — used in classrooms, along with a designated staff contact responsible for overseeing it.
Read Artificial Intelligence Ready Schools Act — SB 720 — on the Maryland General Assembly website.
Consumers & Your Wallet: Subscriptions, Contracts And Utility Bills
Automatic Renewal Cancellations — SB 49 / HB 107
Effective June 1, 2026
This law requires businesses offering automatic renewal contracts — think streaming services, gym memberships and software subscriptions — to allow consumers to cancel in a cost-effective, timely and easy-to-use manner. The cancellation method must be at least as easy to use as the original sign-up process. Violations are considered unfair or deceptive trade practices under Maryland law.
Read Automatic Renewals — SB 49 — on the Maryland General Assembly website. Read Automatic Renewals — HB 107 — on the Maryland General Assembly website.
Consumer Contract Limitation Periods — SB 413 / HB 431
Effective June 1, 2026
This law prohibits consumer contracts covering goods or services for personal, family or household purposes from setting a shorter time limit for bringing a legal action than what Maryland law requires. Any contract that violates this provision is void as against public policy. In plain terms, a company can no longer bury a clause cutting off your right to sue faster than state law allows.
Read SB 413 on the Maryland General Assembly website.
Read HB 431 on the Maryland General Assembly website.
RELIEF Act — Utility Bill Freeze
Effective immediately, signed May 12, 2026
Under the RELIEF Act, utility companies including BGE and Pepco are prohibited from pursuing forecast-based energy bill increases for one year. During the pause, the Public Service Commission will study whether forecasted test years serve customers’ best interests. Ratepayers are also expected to see lower bills through a reduction in the Maryland EmPOWER program requirements.
Read the HB1532 RELIEF Act on the Maryland General Assembly website.
Voting Rights & Elections: New Protections At The Polls And In The Courts
Maryland Voting Rights Act of 2026
Effective immediately, signed April 28, 2026
The Maryland Voting Rights Act of 2026 allows members of race or language minority communities to pursue lawsuits if they believe their county or municipality holds elections in a way that impairs their ability to elect a candidate of their choice because their vote has been weakened due to their status as a protected class.
The law is intended to supplement the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, which was weakened by a recent ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court.
Read the Maryland Voting Rights Act of 2026 on the Maryland General Assembly website.
Police At Polling Places — SB 670 / HB 1001
Effective June 1, 2026
This law gives Maryland elections administrators and local elections directors the authority to order the arrest of anyone who disturbs the peace at a polling place, violates election law or interferes with election judges. Police officers stationed at polls must follow administrators’ orders and are protected in making arrests at their direction as though they had received a valid arrest warrant.
Read SB 670 on the Maryland General Assembly website.
Read HB 1001 on the Maryland General Assembly website.
More Changes Still Coming
Additional laws passed during the 2026 General Assembly session are scheduled to take effect July 1, Oct. 1 and Jan. 1, 2027, bringing further changes in areas including housing, data privacy, tax policy, public safety and consumer protections.
View all 2026 Maryland General Assembly enacted legislation.
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