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Providing that all unhoused individuals have certain rights; stating it is the intent of the General Assembly that the Courts liberally construe the Act to maximize the protections afforded by it to unhoused individuals in the State; establishing an affirmative defense of necessity to certain criminal charges relating to trespass or disturbing the peace; and repealing the authority of a municipality to prohibit vagrancy.

Establishing the Commission on State and Local Government Real Property Bearing Confederate Names to develop and implement a framework to identify real property owned by the State or a political subdivision that bears a Confederate name; and requiring the Commission to make recommendations regarding the real property that should be renamed and report its findings to the Governor, the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore City, the governing body of each county, and the General Assembly by October 1, 2033.

Altering the required elements of comprehensive and general plans for charter counties and other local jurisdictions; establishing requirements and guidelines for each element; and requiring certain State agencies to provide charter counties and other local jurisdictions with assistance and information relevant to the preparation of each element.

Prohibiting local jurisdictions from adopting or enforcing certain zoning provisions relating to lot size, dimensions, setback requirements, lot coverage, and design or architectural elements for certain single-family homes with certain exceptions; prohibiting local jurisdictions from prohibiting certain housing types in certain zones; and prohibiting local jurisdictions from prohibiting certain subdivisions of certain lot types.

Requiring the Department of Commerce to create and maintain a complaint portal for reporting when a governmental unit takes longer than 60 days to process an application for a license, form, certificate, certification, permit, or registration for a business or nonprofit organization; and requiring the Department, by September 15, 2026, and each September 15 thereafter, to submit an annual report to certain committees of the General Assembly on the complaints filed through the portal.

Providing that certain State, county, and municipal employees are entitled to up to 4 hours of paid cancer screening in any 12-month period after obtaining approval from their appointing authorities.

Prohibiting local jurisdictions from adopting or enforcing certain zoning provisions relating to lot size, dimensions, setback requirements, lot coverage, and design or architectural elements for certain single-family homes; prohibiting local jurisdictions from prohibiting certain housing types in certain zones; and prohibiting local jurisdictions from prohibiting certain subdivisions of certain lot types.

Establishing certain requirements for the print or digital publication of legal advertisements and notices in counties and municipalities in the State; requiring digital publications that publish a legal advertisement or notice to maintain an archive of all published legal advertisements and legal notices that shall be available to the public; and requiring digital publications that publish a legal advertisement or notice to employ at least one employee whose duties include reporting, writing, or editing local news and information.

Requiring the reporting of certain procurement contracts and memoranda of understanding entered into by certain public elementary and secondary education systems in the State; and requiring each local school system to make publicly available on the local school system's website certain in-kind services agreements, procurement contracts, and memoranda of understanding.

Altering the application of certain provisions of law governing local government personnel, trout stamps, and landlord remedies to apply to all uniformed services; and altering the composition of the Maryland Veterans Trust Fund.

Requiring a public body that enters into an energy performance contract to comply with certain provisions of law regarding energy performance contracts; requiring the Maryland Clean Energy Center to hire or contract with navigators to assist a public body in creating an energy performance contract; altering the Jane E. Lawton Conservation Loan Program and the Jane E. Lawton Conservation Fund to allow for the issuance of certain grants and loans to certain public bodies; etc.

Requiring a local planning commission to notify the Department of Planning when beginning the review of the local jurisdiction's comprehensive plan; requiring the Department, within 60 days of receiving the notification, to provide guidance materials relating to State law, best practices for local comprehensive plans, and any other resources to support the plan's review; and requiring the Department to develop and maintain certain guidance materials in consultation with certain other State agencies and offices.

Authorizing the governing body of a county or municipality to adopt certain ordinances to regulate tree of heaven and certain invasive trees; and authorizing the governing body of a county or municipality to establish certain programs to incentivize the removal of tree of heaven and certain invasive trees.

Altering the restrictions on a municipality, for a period following an annexation of land, to authorize the development of certain annexed land for certain land uses or certain densities without obtaining the express approval of the county in which the municipality is located; and altering the authority of a municipality to authorize certain land uses or certain densities for certain annexed land with the express approval of the county in which the municipality is located.

Altering the required elements of comprehensive and general plans for charter counties and other local jurisdictions; establishing requirements and guidelines for each element; and requiring certain State agencies to provide charter counties and other local jurisdictions with assistance and information relevant to the preparation of each element.

Prohibiting a State entity or a political subdivision of the State from assigning a Confederate name to real property owned by the State or political subdivision.

Requiring, by September 1 each year, the reporting of certain procurement contracts and memoranda of understanding entered into by certain public elementary and secondary education systems in the State; requiring, by October 1 each year, the State Superintendent to issue a report compiling the required information; and requiring each local school system to make publicly available on the local school system's website certain in-kind services agreements, procurement contracts, and memoranda of understanding.

Establishing certain requirements for the print or digital publication of legal advertisements and notices in counties and municipalities in the State; requiring digital publications that publish a legal advertisement or notice to maintain an archive of all published legal advertisements and legal notices that shall be available to the public; and requiring digital publications that publish a legal advertisement or notice to employ at least one employee whose duties include reporting, writing, or editing local news and information.

Providing that all unhoused individuals have certain rights; establishing an affirmative defense of necessity to certain criminal charges relating to trespass or disturbing the peace; and repealing the authority of a municipality to prohibit vagrancy.

Establishing certain policies and processes to facilitate the development of residential housing in the State; requiring an entity that owns residential real property in the State to make a certain certification to the Department of Housing and Community Development; authorizing a local jurisdiction to establish an administrative process to review, approve, modify, or deny certain housing development project applications; requiring the Governor to establish certain housing production targets at certain intervals; etc.

Authorizing the governing body of a county or municipality to adopt certain ordinances to regulate the nonnative, highly invasive, deciduous hardwood tree known as tree of heaven; and authorizing the governing body of a county or municipality to establish a bounty program to incentivize the removal of trees of heaven.

Requiring the approval of a housing development project application by a local regulatory authority or the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission to be governed only by certain laws and regulations in effect at the time of submission of a substantially complete application; granting the proponent of an approved housing development project certain vested rights related to use and development for a certain time period; etc.

Altering provisions of law relating to the authority of a political subdivision to adopt ordinances, rules, or regulations that set emission standards or ambient air quality standards under certain conditions; specifying that the requirement for the Department of the Environment to approve a county water and sewerage plan does not limit certain authority of the county; requiring the Department to publish certain information on its website by October 1, 2026; etc.

Requiring the approval of a housing development project application by a local regulatory authority or the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission to be governed only by certain laws and regulations in effect at the time of submission of a substantially complete application; granting the proponent of an approved housing development project certain vested rights related to use and development for a certain time period; etc.

Altering the beginning and ending dates for the Community Choice Aggregation Pilot Program, from beginning on April 1, 2024, to April 1, 2026, and from ending 7 years after the beginning date to 9 years after the beginning date; and altering the dates on which the Public Service Commission must submit certain pilot program reports to the Governor and the General Assembly, from the sixth year after the beginning of the pilot program to the seventh year after the beginning of the pilot program and from December 31, 2031, to December 31, 2035.

Prohibiting a political subdivision from issuing a use and occupancy permit to the nongovernment holder of a permit to complete certain improvements on State roads that carry 25,000 vehicles per day until the improvement is completed to the satisfaction of the State Highway Administration and the political subdivision; etc.

Prohibiting the State, a unit of local government, a county sheriff, or an agency, an officer, an employee, or an agent of the State or a unit of local government from adopting or having in effect a certain sanctuary policy; and repealing certain provisions of law that are inconsistent with the Act.

Establishing that certain local jurisdictions have an affirmative duty to create opportunities for housing by evaluating the suitability of vacant, unused, or underutilized commercial or industrial land for housing use; altering the requirements for the housing element of a certain comprehensive plan; requiring local jurisdictions to establish certain policies and adopt certain local laws to promote and encourage building middle housing units on certain land; etc.

Establishing the National Guard State Active Duty Mobilization Fund as a special, nonlapsing fund in the Military Department to provide funds for State active duty mobilization of the National Guard.

Establishing that the prohibition against abandoning an animal does not apply to a person who is providing care to a community cat under a certain trap-neuter-return policy; establishing that a local law that establishes a trap-neuter-return policy is subject to certain requirements and restrictions; and providing that the Act supersedes and preempts any law, ordinance, policy, or regulation of any local government body and any policy or rule of any person or corporation that prohibits or restricts the practice of trap-neuter-return.

Finding that local governments pay electric companies large sums to light streets and are limited in how this public safety resource can be managed, the Act authorizes certain counties or municipalities to acquire certain street lighting equipment by purchase or condemnation, convert its street lighting service to a customer-owned street lighting tariff, enter into an agreement to purchase electricity, and contract with an electric company for the maintenance of the street lighting equipment; etc.

Altering certain definitions and defining certain terms applicable to land use; altering requirements for the appointment and removal of members of a board of appeals; altering and repealing certain powers of a board of appeals; and altering the procedures applicable to certain proceedings before a board of appeals.

Authorizing a local jurisdiction to enact local laws providing for or requiring the preservation of natural resources through certain mechanisms.

Establishing that the prohibition against abandoning an animal does not apply to a person who is providing care to a community cat under a certain trap-neuter-return policy; establishing that a local law that establishes a trap-neuter-return policy is subject to certain requirements and restrictions; and providing that the Act supersedes and preempts any law, ordinance, policy, or regulation of any local government body and any policy or rule of any person or corporation that prohibits or restricts the practice of trap-neuter-return.

Requiring certain employers to develop, implement, and maintain an excessive heat-related illness prevention plan for employees; requiring certain employers to develop and implement an acclimatization plan for certain employees or follow the acclimatization plan established by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; requiring certain employers to monitor temperature in certain work locations and provide shade and water to employees; etc.

Requiring certain counties to allow multifamily developments and mixed-use developments as a permitted use on certain parcels or lots; prohibiting certain counties from imposing certain restrictions, requirements, or limitations on permitted developments; authorizing certain counties to require a permitted development to have a certain percentage of available floor space dedicated to retail uses and to include on-site parking; etc.

Establishing that every person, as a central component of an individual's right to liberty and equality, has the fundamental right while engaged in employment in the State to be paid at a wage rate that is at least equal to the State minimum wage rate set by law without regard to tips that the individual receives; repealing exemptions from Maryland Wage and Hour Law; specifying the State minimum wage rate and tip credit amount that is in effect for certain time periods; etc.

Altering the definition of "solar permitting software" for purposes of provisions regarding permitting and inspections of residential solar energy systems; altering from August 1, 2025, to August 1, 2027, the date by which certain counties and municipalities must implement certain solar permitting software; requiring, on or before August 1, 2027, certain counties and municipalities to authorize remote inspections of certain residential solar energy systems; etc.

Requiring certain counties to allow multifamily developments and mixed-use developments as a permitted use on certain parcels or lots; prohibiting certain counties from imposing certain restrictions, requirements, or limitations on permitted developments; authorizing certain counties to require a permitted development to have a certain percentage of available floor space dedicated to retail uses and to include on-site parking; etc.

Establishing a Task Force to Modernize County and Municipal Revenue Structures to study and evaluate the revenue structure of the county and municipal governments within the State; and requiring the Task Force to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and certain committees of the General Assembly by December 1, 2026.

Increasing the minimum population threshold for municipal incorporation to 600 residents; requiring a certain organizing committee to make certain determinations and provide a certain report to the county commissioners or county council of a certain county regarding a proposed municipal incorporation; etc.

Establishing certain policies and processes to facilitate the development of residential housing in the State; requiring an entity that owns residential real property in the State to make a certain certification to the Department of Housing and Community Development; authorizing a local jurisdiction to establish an administrative process to review, approve, modify, or deny certain housing development project applications; etc.

Exempting from a prohibition on restrictions on use for accessory dwelling units certain property located within a district designated to be of historic significance.

Establishing that every person, as a central component of an individual's right to liberty and equality, has the fundamental right while engaged in employment in the State to be paid at a wage rate that is at least equal to the State minimum wage rate set by law without regard to tips that the individual receives; repealing exemptions from Maryland Wage and Hour Law; specifying the State minimum wage rate and tip credit amount that is in effect for certain time periods; etc.

Prohibiting a local jurisdiction in the State from denying or restricting the operation of certain family child care homes if the family child care home meets the licensing requirements established by the State Department of Education; and requiring a local jurisdiction to designate the operation of certain family child care homes as a residential activity and as a permitted use.

Requiring a certain local zoning authority to designate and maintain certain property in a zoning classification that restricts the uses in a certain manner under certain circumstances; and requiring the appropriate authority to maintain certain property in a certain zoning classification that restricts the uses in a certain manner under certain circumstances.

Requiring a certain developer to prepare and submit a certain report concerning safe school routes, subject to certain requirements, as part of a preliminary subdivision or site plan; and prohibiting a local jurisdiction from granting a preliminary subdivision or site plan approval except under certain circumstances.

Authorizing a local jurisdiction to authorize any person aggrieved by a decision of a historic preservation commission to appeal the decision to the board of appeals of the local jurisdiction or the appropriate circuit court.

Requiring an owner or operator of a large-scale data center to submit a disclosure report to certain State and local agencies and elected officials under certain circumstances; specifying the contents of the disclosure report; requiring the Department of the Environment to publish the disclosure report on its website within 30 days of receiving the report; requiring, by June 30, 2027, each local jurisdiction with a population of at least 10,000 residents to adopt by local law a large-scale data center plan; etc.

Modifying the definition of "community choice aggregator" for the Community Choice Aggregation Pilot Program to include residential electric customers served by certain electric cooperatives; expanding the application of the Community Choice Aggregation Pilot Program to apply to all counties and Baltimore City instead of applying to Montgomery County only; and modifying the membership of the Community Choice Energy Workgroup.

Increasing the State minimum wage rate to $18 for calendar year 2028 for large employers and for calendar year 2029 for small employers; and increasing, beginning January 1, 2029, and January 1, 2030, for large employers and small employers, respectively, the State minimum wage rate in effect for certain periods of time based on annual growth in a certain consumer price index, as determined by the Commissioner of Labor and Industry.

Establishing that a "qualified project" is a certain residential project that has been subject to retaliatory downzoning; requiring a local jurisdiction to allow the density of a certain qualified project to exceed the density otherwise authorized; and permitting a certain qualified project to consist of certain types of developments with certain density limits under certain circumstances.

Requiring an owner or operator of a data center to comply with certain standards under certain circumstances; requiring the Department of the Environment to establish by regulation certain sound and vibration controls and requirements for backup power generation for data centers; prohibiting a local approving authority from authorizing the construction of a data center on certain agricultural land; and requiring a certain applicant to submit a certain report to a local approving authority under certain cirucmstances.

Requiring employers that employ 15 or more individuals or are governmental units to provide full-time and part-time employees who are parents at least 20 hours of paid leave each year to attend school functions at the public or nonpublic elementary or secondary school at which the employee's child is enrolled.

Requiring each county and municipality to adopt certain laws or ordinances prohibiting a dog from being at large; providing the Act may not be construed to preempt a local government from enacting and enforcing more stringent measures; and stating it is the intent of the General Assembly that the Act be applied and interpreted to recognize the definition of the term "running at large" as used by the Appellate Court of Maryland in Blitzer v. Breski, 259 Md. App. 257 (2023).

Authorizing a local jurisdiction to authorize any person aggrieved by a decision of a historic preservation commission to appeal the decision to the board of appeals of the local jurisdiction or the appropriate circuit court.