Hundreds of bills that were passed by Maryland lawmakers in session this year will become law in on July 1, covering everything from banning vaping indoors to benefits for uniformed service members and diversity efforts in higher education.
This follows a wave of laws that went into effect in January and precedes another batch that will be put in place in October.
Here’s a look at some of the laws that take effect next month.
Banning indoor vaping
Vaping will no longer be allowed inside in certain mass transportation, places of employment and indoor areas. Signs will be put up in areas that have prohibited vaping under the Clean Indoor Air Act.
Ticket sales (and resales)
Buying tickets to events has been a battleground of late, with Live Nation facing an antitrust suit from the U.S. Justice Department, which has accused the entertainment company of anti-consumer practices.
Maryland lawmakers are trying to make sure consumers get clear info when purchasing an event or concert ticket, including requiring the total ticket price be disclosed on the listing page and during every step of the transaction. Resellers will also no longer be allowed to sell speculative tickets, which is when resellers post tickets for sale that they don’t actually have in their possession.
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Alcohol delivery
A permit will be created that allows businesses to deliver alcoholic beverages to purchasers. It also authorizes businesses to deliver these beverages through a third-party contractor, an independent contractor or an agent that holds the delivery service permit.
Grants for technology startups
The Pava LaPere Innovation Acceleration Grant Program will be established next week and administered by the Maryland Technology Development Corp. It will provide grants to tech startups founded by students in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson metropolitan statistical area. The grant is named after Pava LaPere, the founder and CEO of Baltimore-based startup EcoMap Technologies, who was killed last year.
Service members
When Gov. Wes Moore declared this was “the year for military families in the state of Maryland” during a press conference in December, he aimed to keep his promise. One act being implemented next week will allow preference in hiring and promotion for spouses of service members.
The executive branch of state government must also apply a credit of 10 points on any selection test for eligible spouses and veterans. Another would expand military leave and disaster service leave for uniformed service officers from 15 to 30 days.
Efforts to end poverty
Another piece of legislation that Moore has championed is his ENOUGH Act, which focuses on areas with high concentrations of child poverty. It will bring resources and funding to communities most in need, offering millions per year in competitive grants.
“We’ve had enough with poverty, crime and a system where generational challenges go unaddressed,” Moore said in a January press release.
Diversity in higher education
When the U.S. Supreme Court reversed its ruling on affirmative action, a policy that aimed to help underrepresented groups in higher education and the workplace, advocates started asking — what about legacy students?
This legislation will eliminate legacy preferences in Maryland universities, something that has already taken place at the Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland. Another law will require that there needs to be at least one member of the Board of Regents of the University System of Maryland that is a graduate of a historically Black college or university in the University System of Maryland.
Refunding of tuition due to mental health crisis
Another law being put into place regarding higher education next week is the Cameron Carden Act, named after a student who experienced mental distress after seeing racist graffiti at his university. This led him to drop out before the semester ended. Maryland universities must now accept mental health as a formal reason to withdraw, and students will receive a refund.
Only in Maryland ...
Marylanders love their shellfish — but they will find themselves with a new definition for the aquatic invertebrates next week. Live mollusks and molluscan shells, most commonly known as the popular summertime food oysters, will also be included in this category.
Ever wonder what to do with excess deer meat? Individuals can now claim a credit from income tax for certain expenses if they harvest an antlerless deer and donate its meat to certain organizations.
