Civil Actions - Tortious Injury to or Death of Pet - Compensatory Damages (Buddy's Law) [HB-438]
[Animals ]
[Consumer Protection ]
[Law Enforcement ]
[Public Safety ]
Increasing from $10,000 to $25,000 the maximum amount of compensatory damages that may be awarded to an owner of a pet from a person who tortiously causes an injury to or death of the pet while acting individually or through an animal under the person's ownership, direction, or control.
HB-438: Civil Actions - Tortious Injury to or Death of Pet - Compensatory Damages (Buddy's Law)
Sponsored by: Rep. Nicholaus Kipke
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 101 on 04/22/2025
Higher Education - Janet L. Hoffman Loan Assistance Repayment Program - Eligibility [SB-318]
[Student Loans ]
[Animals ]
[Education ]
[Veterans ]
Expanding the eligibility for the Janet L. Hoffman Loan Assistance Repayment Program to include individuals who received a certain degree from an accredited veterinary school and provided veterinary services in the State for not less than 5 years, or provided volunteer veterinary services at certain animal shelters and to include individuals who provided veterinary technician services for a certain time period or provided volunteer veterinary technician services at certain animal shelters.
SB-318: Higher Education - Janet L. Hoffman Loan Assistance Repayment Program - Eligibility
Sponsored by: Sen. Karen Lewis Young
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 387 on 05/06/2025
Criminal Law - Animal Abuse or Neglect - Penalties [SB-80]
[Animals ]
[Crime ]
[Criminal Justice ]
[Public Safety ]
Prohibiting a person from committing a violation of the prohibition against abusing or neglecting an animal that results in the death of a domestic animal or livestock or the need to euthanize the domestic animal or livestock; providing that a person who violates the Act is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment for up to 1 year or a fine of up to $5,000 or both; and authorizing a court to impost certain conditions of sentencing and probation.
SB-80: Criminal Law - Animal Abuse or Neglect - Penalties
Sponsored by: Sen. William Smith
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 183 on 04/22/2025
Housing and Community Development - Pets in Housing Developments [HB-1179]
[Housing ]
[Community Development ]
[Animals ]
Prohibiting an owner or agent of an owner of a housing development that on or after January 1, 2025, received an allocation of certain tax credits from the Department of Housing and Community Development from imposing certain prohibitions and costs related to a resident's possession of pets; and applying the Act prospectively.
HB-1179: Housing and Community Development - Pets in Housing Developments
Sponsored by: Rep. Dana Stein
Hearing 3/05 At 1:00 P.m. on 02/09/2024
Income Tax - Credit for Spaying and Neutering Dogs and Cats [HB-1107]
[Taxes ]
[Animals ]
Allowing a credit against the State income tax for up to $100 of certain qualified expenses incurred by an individual during the taxable year to spay or neuter a dog or cat owned by the individual.
HB-1107: Income Tax - Credit for Spaying and Neutering Dogs and Cats
Sponsored by: Rep. Jason Buckel
First Reading Ways And Means on 02/07/2024
Civil Actions – Injury to or Death of Pet – Damages [SB-868]
[Animals ]
[Consumer Protection ]
[Law Enforcement ]
Repealing the cap of up to $10,000 on the compensatory damages for which a person who tortiously causes an injury to or death of a pet is liable.
SB-868: Civil Actions – Injury to or Death of Pet – Damages
Sponsored by: Sen. James Rosapepe
Hearing 2/29 At 1:00 P.m. on 02/07/2024
Department of Agriculture - Spay/Neuter Fund [SB-641]
[Agriculture ]
[Animals ]
[Funding ]
[Grants ]
Altering the contents and authorized uses of the Spay/Neuter Fund; requiring the Department of Agriculture to establish a process through which a person may make a voluntary donation to the Fund; requiring the Department to give additional consideration to certain competitive grant proposals that meet certain criteria; and increasing the fee on commercial feed prepared and distributed for consumption by dogs or cats and registered in the State beginning October 1, 2024.
SB-641: Department of Agriculture - Spay/Neuter Fund
Sponsored by: Sen. Benjamin Brooks
Hearing 2/16 At 9:00 A.m. on 02/09/2024
Property and Casualty Insurance – Pet Insurance – Regulation [HB-647]
[Animals ]
[Insurance ]
[Consumer Protection ]
Establishing requirements and prohibitions for pet insurance policies that are issued to a resident of the State or are sold, solicited, negotiated, or offered in the State, including disclosure requirements and requirements and prohibitions related to wellness programs; and requiring the Maryland Insurance Administration, on or before June 1, 2025, to develop informational material about pet insurance policies that may be disseminated to and posted by veterinary practitioners.
HB-647: Property and Casualty Insurance – Pet Insurance – Regulation
Sponsored by: Rep. Michele Guyton
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 740 on 05/16/2024
Environment - Duck Nest Boxes - Wetlands License Requirements [HB-444]
[Environmental ]
[Animals ]
[Water ]
Exempting the installation and maintenance of certain duck nest boxes from certain wetlands license requirements; defining a "duck nest box" as a nesting structure located on or over water that is provided for the purpose of sheltering domesticated ducks; establishing that a duck nest box is not a nonwater-dependent project for the purpose of certain wetlands license requirements; and establishing that installing and maintaining duck nest boxes is a lawful use of private wetlands.
Agriculture - Confinement of Egg-Laying Hens in Commercial Egg Production - Prohibitions [HB-357]
[Agriculture ]
[Animals ]
[Food ]
[Consumer Protection ]
Prohibiting a certain farm owner or operator from knowingly confining egg-laying hens in an enclosure in a certain manner, subject to certain exceptions, on and after January 1, 2026; prohibiting a business owner or operator or a farm owner or operator from selling shell eggs or egg products under certain circumstances on and after January 1, 2026; and specifying that a certain certification be obtained in a certain manner to sell shell eggs and egg products.
HB-357: Agriculture - Confinement of Egg-Laying Hens in Commercial Egg Production - Prohibitions
Sponsored by: Rep. Dana Stein
Hearing Canceled on 02/14/2024
Environment - Duck Nest Boxes - Wetlands License Requirements [SB-339]
[Environmental ]
[Animals ]
[Water ]
Exempting the installation and maintenance of certain duck nest boxes from certain wetlands license requirements; defining a "duck nest box" as a nesting structure located on or over water that is provided for the purpose of sheltering domesticated ducks; establishing that a duck nest box is not a nonwater-dependent project for the purpose of certain wetlands license requirements; and establishing that installing and maintaining duck nest boxes is a lawful use of private wetlands.
Domestic Animals - Penalties for Abandonment and Microchip Requirements for Dogs [SB-157]
[Animals ]
[Consumer Protection ]
[Crime ]
[Public Safety ]
[Law Enforcement ]
Increasing the penalties by including a term of imprisonment of up to 90 days and a fine not to exceed $1,000 or both for abandoning a domestic animal in certain locations; establishing requirements for the microchipping of dogs on a transfer of ownership and for the management of information relating to dogs with implanted microchips; authorizing the governing body of a county to establish reasonable penalties for a violation of the Act; and applying the Act prospectively.
SB-157: Domestic Animals - Penalties for Abandonment and Microchip Requirements for Dogs
Sponsored by: Sen. Arthur Ellis
Hearing 1/24 At 2:30 P.m. on 01/15/2024
Criminal Law - Crimes Relating to Animals - Conviction and Sentencing [SB-17]
[Animals ]
[Crime ]
[Criminal Justice ]
[Public Safety ]
[Law Enforcement ]
Establishing that each domestic or farm animal harmed in a violation of a prohibition against animal cruelty is a separate offense and shall be deemed an individual victim for purposes of the sentencing guidelines stacking rule; and establishing that a conviction for a crime relating to animals may not merge with a conviction for any other crime based on the act establishing the violation and that a sentence imposed may be separate from and consecutive to or concurrent with a sentence based on the act establishing a violation.
SB-17: Criminal Law - Crimes Relating to Animals - Conviction and Sentencing
Sponsored by: Sen. Chris West
Favorable With Amendments Report By Judiciary on 04/04/2024
Department of Agriculture - Spay/Neuter Fund [HB-85]
[Agriculture ]
[Animals ]
[Funding ]
[Grants ]
Altering the contents and authorized uses of the Spay/Neuter Fund; requiring the Department of Agriculture to establish a process through which a person may make a voluntary donation to the Fund; requiring the Department to give additional consideration to certain competitive grant proposals that meet certain criteria; and increasing the fee on commercial feed prepared and distributed for consumption by dogs or cats and registered in the State beginning October 1, 2024.
HB-85: Department of Agriculture - Spay/Neuter Fund
Sponsored by: Rep. Jennifer Terrasa
First Reading Environment And Transportation on 01/10/2024
Agriculture - Confinement of Egg-Laying Hens in Commercial Egg Production - Prohibitions [SB-193]
[Agriculture ]
[Animals ]
[Consumer Protection ]
[Food ]
Prohibiting a certain farm owner or operator from knowingly confining egg-laying hens in an enclosure in a certain manner, subject to certain exceptions, on and after January 1, 2026; prohibiting a business owner or operator or a farm owner or operator from selling shell eggs or egg products under certain circumstances on and after January 1, 2026; and specifying that a certain certification verifying that the shell eggs and egg products are produced in a certain manner must be obtained before selling shell eggs and egg products.
SB-193: Agriculture - Confinement of Egg-Laying Hens in Commercial Egg Production - Prohibitions
Sponsored by: Sen. Karen Lewis Young
Hearing 1/23 At 1:00 P.m. on 01/11/2024