Senate Finance Committee advances a broad slate of bills on health, consumer protection, transportation and economic development
March 14, 2026 | Finance Committee, SENATE, SENATE, Committees, Legislative, Maryland
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On March 13 the Senate Finance Committee completed an extensive voting session that moved a broad set of bills out of committee. Items advancing included:
- SB 786 (transportation network companies contracting with Maryland Transit Administration): exempts individual criminal‑history checks for contracted operators and requires company‑level annual background screenings and nondiscrimination and accessibility training (passed 9–1).
- SB 528 (streaming ad loudness): establishes an unfair or deceptive trade practice for streaming services that transmit commercial audio substantially louder than program audio; the committee advanced the bill with amendments and noted enforcement would fall to the Attorney General's consumer‑protection division (favorable with amendment).
- SB 763 (Maryland Growth Initiative): establishes an initiative and special fund to support startup growth; the governor must include $5 million in the annual budget for the initiative and TEDCO may adopt implementing regulations (passed unanimously).
- SB 579 (volunteer firefighter cancer screenings) and other public‑safety and health bills: the committee advanced multiple bills designed to extend screenings, occupational disease presumptions and workers' compensation adjustments for public safety employees.
Several bills described in the hearing were heavily amended between the public hearing and the committee vote; presenters repeatedly noted reprints and sponsor‑requested amendments. The committee also voted to reconsider SB 910 after questions arose about adopted amendments in that earlier vote and returned that bill to committee for further consideration.
Why it matters: The slate covers consumer protection, public‑safety benefits, transportation accessibility, economic development and industry regulation; many measures will proceed to the Senate floor for further debate and votes.
What happens next: Bills reported favorably will be placed on the Senate calendar; SB 910 was returned to committee for reconsideration.
- SB 786 (transportation network companies contracting with Maryland Transit Administration): exempts individual criminal‑history checks for contracted operators and requires company‑level annual background screenings and nondiscrimination and accessibility training (passed 9–1).
- SB 528 (streaming ad loudness): establishes an unfair or deceptive trade practice for streaming services that transmit commercial audio substantially louder than program audio; the committee advanced the bill with amendments and noted enforcement would fall to the Attorney General's consumer‑protection division (favorable with amendment).
- SB 763 (Maryland Growth Initiative): establishes an initiative and special fund to support startup growth; the governor must include $5 million in the annual budget for the initiative and TEDCO may adopt implementing regulations (passed unanimously).
- SB 579 (volunteer firefighter cancer screenings) and other public‑safety and health bills: the committee advanced multiple bills designed to extend screenings, occupational disease presumptions and workers' compensation adjustments for public safety employees.
Several bills described in the hearing were heavily amended between the public hearing and the committee vote; presenters repeatedly noted reprints and sponsor‑requested amendments. The committee also voted to reconsider SB 910 after questions arose about adopted amendments in that earlier vote and returned that bill to committee for further consideration.
Why it matters: The slate covers consumer protection, public‑safety benefits, transportation accessibility, economic development and industry regulation; many measures will proceed to the Senate floor for further debate and votes.
What happens next: Bills reported favorably will be placed on the Senate calendar; SB 910 was returned to committee for reconsideration.
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