Bulletin 26-14: Summary of Insurance Laws Enacted in 2026

To: All Interested Parties Including Insurers, Non-Profit Health Service Plans, Health Maintenance Organizations, Dental Plan Organizations, Pharmacy Benefit Managers, and Producers

Re: Summary of Insurance Laws Enacted in 2026

Date: June 12, 2026

The purpose of this Bulletin is to summarize laws enacted during the 2026 Session of the Maryland General Assembly that are enforced by the Maryland Insurance Administration (“MIA”) or that otherwise relate to the insurance industry. The attached summary is intended only as notice of passage of the legislation and is not a representation of the MIA’s interpretation of the new laws, nor is it a representation of how the MIA may enforce these new provisions. All regulated entities should refer to the Chapter Laws of Maryland for the 2026 Session for the complete text of these recently enacted laws. Regulated entities are advised that other bills passed by the General Assembly and not listed on the summary may also affect their business operations in Maryland.

You may obtain a copy of a specific law passed by the General Assembly during the 2026 Session by accessing the Maryland General Assembly’s website at mgaleg.maryland.gov or by contacting the Department of Legislative Services at (410) 946-5400. You should refer to the House or Senate Bill number when searching for a law on the website. You may also obtain a copy of “The 90 Day Report – A Review of the 2026 Legislative Session” on the Internet or from Library and Information Services, Office of Policy Analysis, Department of Legislative Services.

For additional information concerning the MIA’s summary of 2026 insurance legislation, please contact Jamie Sexton (Associate Commissioner, External Affairs and Policy Initiatives) at [email protected].

Life and Health

HB 1563 (Ch. 165) - Emergency Room Services and Post-Acute Care - Coverage and Facility Studies
Effective on June 1, 2026

Alters § 15-10A-06 of the Insurance Article to require the Commissioner to include specified data on post-acute services (including admissions to skilled nursing facilities and inpatient rehabilitation facilities) in the annual summary report on carrier adverse decisions and grievances.
Adds § 15-10B-21 to the Insurance Article to clarify the Maryland Insurance Commissioner’s authority to conduct an examination of a carrier that has issued a pattern of adverse decisions or grievance decisions for a claim or authorization request for services in (or related to services in) an emergency department. The Commissioner is explicitly authorized to have an independent review organization review the adverse decisions and grievance decisions that are the subject of the exam, and the carrier is required to pay the costs of the review.
Requires the Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC), in conjunction with the Health Services Cost Review Commission (HSCRC), to conduct two studies. One study is required to quantify bed capacity in hospitals and post-acute settings in the State and make recommendations on a collection and auditing process by which hospital and post-acute beds will be reported to MHCC or HSCRC each year. The second report will analyze options to facilitate clinically appropriate transitions from acute to post-acute care settings. For both reports, MHCC and HSCRC are required to report their findings and recommendations to the Governor, Senate Finance Committee, and House Health Committee on or before January 1, 2027.

HB 275 / SB 134 (Chs. 139 & 140) – Medicare Supplement Policies - Issuance - Requirements
Effective on July 1, 2026

Amends § 15-909(b) of the Insurance Article to allow Medicare beneficiaries the right to purchase Medicare Supplement insurance without medical underwriting in two new situations.
Guarantees Medigap coverage for people leaving Medicaid.
Requires insurers to offer Medigap coverage without medical underwriting to certain people who recently lost Medicaid coverage.
Guarantees Medigap coverage during certain Special Enrollment Periods.
Requires insurers to offer Medigap coverage without medical underwriting to certain Medicare beneficiaries who became eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020, and who qualify for federal Special Enrollment Period protections.

HB 280 / SB205 (Chs. 11 & 12) Health Insurance - Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders - Codification of Federal Requirements
Effective on July 1, 2026

Codifies portions of the 2024 federal Mental Health Parity Final Rule to strengthen enforcement of parity requirements for the treatment of mental health and substance use disorders (MH/SUDs).
Adds provisions to § 15-144(c) of the Insurance Article to specify how each carrier must collect and evaluate relevant outcomes data for NQTLs, and establishes an enforcement standard that material differences in outcomes data between MH/SUDs and medical/surgical benefits shall be considered a strong indicator of noncompliance with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (Parity Act).
Adds new deadlines for responses to requests from the Commissioner to document compliance with the Parity Act.
Adds specific requirements for the comparative analysis of NQTLs to § 15-144(d)(2) of the Insurance Article, such as:

Demonstrating that none of the information, evidence, sources, or standards on which a factor or evidentiary standard is based are biased or objective in a manner that discriminates against MH/SUD benefits as compared to medical/surgical benefits, and
Demonstrating that the health benefit plan provides meaningful benefits for each covered mental health condition and SUD in every Parity Act classification in which medical/surgical benefits are provided.

HB 746 / SB 428 (Chs. 615 & 614) - Maryland Medical Assistance Program and Health Insurance - Collaborative Care Model - Cost Sharing Prohibition
Effective on July 1, 2026 (Provisions regarding insurance coverage effective on January 1, 2027, and apply to all policies, contracts and health benefit plans issued, delivered or renewed in the State on or after this date.)

Alters § 15-141.1 of the Health General Article to prohibit the Maryland Department of Health from imposing a copay, coinsurance, or deductible for services provided in accordance with the Collaborative Care Model.
Adds a provision to subtitle 8 of title 15 to the Insurance Article to require certain insurers, nonprofit health plans, and health maintenance organizations to provide coverage for services provided in accordance with the Collaborative Care Model.
The Maryland Health Care Commission is required to study the impact of eliminating health insurance cost-sharing for services provided under the Collaborative Care Model and must report its findings and recommendations to the Senate Finance Committee and the House Health Committee by December 1, 2026.

HB 1365 (Ch. 606) - Health Occupations, Public Health, and Insurance - Menopause - Provider Training Coverage Requirements, Policy Initiatives, and Access to Care
Effective on July 1, 2026 (Provisions regarding insurance coverage effective on January 1, 2027, and apply to all policies, contracts and health benefit plans issued, delivered or renewed in the State on or after this date.)

Adds provisions to the Health General Article to require training for menopause and menopause-related symptoms for providers.
Adds a provision to subtitle 8 of title 15 to the Insurance Article to require insurers, nonprofit health service plans, and health maintenance organizations to cover evaluation and management of menopause and associated symptoms as determined by the treating healthcare provider.

SB 385 (Ch. 8) - Public Health - Recommendations for Immunizations, Screenings, and Preventive Services - Pharmacist Administration and Required Health Insurance Coverage (The Vax Act)
Effective on July 1, 2026

Adds § 18-112 to the Health General Article to require the Secretary of Health to issue recommendations for immunizations, screenings, and preventive services based on evidence-based scientific and clinical guidance from authoritative bodies such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, CDC, FDA, and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

Before adopting a recommendation, the Secretary must hold a notice and comment period, cite the basis for the recommendation, and obtain an analysis from the Maryland Health Care Commission of the social, medical, and financial impacts of mandating coverage of the recommended services in health benefit plans offered by carriers.

Alters § 12-508 of the Health Occupations Article to expand the authority of pharmacists to administer vaccines to include those recommended by the Secretary of Health.
Alters §§ 15-1A-10 and 15-817 of the Insurance Article to clarify the Commissioner’s authority to enforce these provisions is consistent with § 18-112 of the Health General Article.

SB 892 (Ch. 605) - Health Occupations, Public Health, and Insurance - Menopause - Provider Training Coverage Requirements, Policy Initiatives, and Access to Care
Effective on July 1, 2026 (Provisions regarding insurance coverage effective January 1, 2027, and apply to all policies, contracts and health benefit plans issued, delivered or renewed in the State on or after this date.)

Adds a provision to subtitle 8 of title 15 to the Insurance Article to require insurers, nonprofit health service plans, and health maintenance organizations to cover evaluation and management of menopause and associated symptoms as determined by the treating healthcare provider.

HB 273 / SB 14 (Chs. 137 & 138) – Health Insurance - Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) Enrollment - Effective Dates
Effective on October 1, 2026

Aligns Maryland health insurance law with existing federal regulations by altering the effective dates of enrollment in a Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) Exchange plan for individuals who enroll during certain Special Enrollment Periods (SEPs).
Clarifies when coverage starts after special enrollment events outlined in § 15-208.1(c)(4) of the Insurance Article, including divorce, death, or court-ordered coverage of children, for plans offered through the SHOP Exchange.
Amends § 15-1208.1(f) and (g) of the Insurance Article to allow eligible employees who enroll certain individuals in a SHOP plan to make coverage effective on the first day of the month following receipt of the plan selection, if allowed by the SHOP exchange.

HB 277 / SB 139 (Chs. 141 & 142) Insurance - Third Party Administrators – Enforcement
Effective on October 1, 2026

Amends § 8-320 of the Insurance Article to authorize the Insurance Commissioner to impose a civil penalty of up to $10,000 for each violation of any provision of the Insurance Article by a third‑party administrator (TPA), instead of only for a violation of the provisions of law that directly govern TPAs.
Amends § 8-309(a) of the Insurance Article to authorize the denial, suspension, or revocation of a TPA registration if the TPA has violated the Insurance Article or another law of the State relating to insurance, or if they knowingly fail to comply with a regulation adopted by, or an order from, the Commissioner.

HB 684 / SB 521 (Ch. 651) – Health Insurance - Material Changes to Provider Networks - Notification and Special Enrollment Period
Effective on October 1, 2026

Implements amendments to both the Health-General and Insurance Articles to increase regulatory oversight of changes to carrier provider networks.
Amends § 15-112 of the Insurance Article to require carriers to provide earlier notice to the State and clearer notice to enrollees when provider contracts are being terminated.
Amends § 15-112 to permit patients to request to see certain providers, including primary care or behavioral care providers, for up to 90 days after a termination and provides for specifications on the notice that insurers must use to inform members on how to request that care.
Adds § 15-112(y) to the Insurance Article, requiring carriers and health systems to provide 90 days’ notice before terminating contracts, maintain existing contract terms for 90 days after expiration during disputes (unless otherwise agreed in writing), and directing the Maryland Insurance Administration to create a uniform patient request form for continuation of care.
Adds § 19-310.7 to the Health-General Article to require health systems to comply with the new requirements under § 15-112(y) of the Insurance Article.
Amends § 15-1316 of the Insurance Article to create a 90-day special enrollment period for those who buy individual insurance, so patients whose provider leaves the network of their current health benefit plan can enroll in a different individual policy sold through or outside the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange. The special enrollment period begins on the date of termination of the provider from a health benefit plan’s provider panel, or, if the consumer did not receive notice of the termination, on the date notice was received.

HB 1118 / SB 891 (Chs. 637 & 636) Health, Health Insurance, and Health Occupations - Perinatal Behavioral Health Conditions
Effective on January 1, 2027

Amends § 15-103 of the Health-General Article and adds § 15-864 of the Insurance Article to require that a carrier and Medicaid, effective January 1, 2027, must provide coverage for screening for perinatal behavioral health conditions at well child visits within the first year of the child’s life, as determined appropriate by the treating health care provider.
Amends § 15-830 of the Insurance Article to include a definition of “perinatal behavioral health condition” that specifies that it is a behavioral health condition that occurs during pregnancy or within 1 year after the conclusion of a pregnancy – including a pregnancy that does not result in a live a birth – and includes post-partum depression.
Amends § 15-830(c) of the Insurance Article to require a carrier to allow a member who is pregnant to receive a standing referral to a behavioral health care provider. This includes professionals such as psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, or licensed professional counselors.
Requires health plans to provide standing referrals for certain preventive behavioral health services during pregnancy and for one year postpartum, without requiring a written treatment plan.
Requires the Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC) to conduct an analysis on the impact of various coverage and cost-sharing requirements related to screening for perinatal behavioral health conditions, and report the findings to the Senate Finance Committee and House Health Committee on or before December 1, 2026.

HB 393 / SB 272 (Chs. 52 & 51) Health Insurance - Scalp Cooling Systems - Required Coverage
Effective on January 1, 2027

Adds a provision to subtitle 8 of title 15 to the Insurance Article to require certain insurers, nonprofit health service plans, and health maintenance organizations that provide coverage for chemotherapy to treat cancer to also provide coverage for scalp cooling systems used for the preservation of hair in connection with the chemotherapy treatment.

HB 445 / SB 276 (Ch. 628 & 629) - Maryland Medical Assistance Program and Health Insurance - Coverage for Orthoses and Prostheses (So Every Body Can Move Act)
Effective on January 1, 2027

Alters § 15-103 of the Health General Article to mandate that the Maryland Medical Assistance Program provide coverage for orthoses.
Amends § 15-820 of the Insurance Article to require insurers, nonprofit health service plans, and health maintenance organizations to provide coverage for medically necessary orthoses, components of orthoses, repairs to orthoses, and replacements of orthoses or orthosis components. The covered benefits may not be subject to a higher copayment or coinsurance requirements than that required for other similar medical or surgical benefits.
Requires carriers and Medicaid MCOs, by June 30, 2032, to report to the MIA and the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) on their compliance with § 15-820 of the Insurance Article for calendar years 2027 through 2030. The report must be in a form that will be jointly prescribed by the MIA and MDH and include the number of claims and the total amount of claims paid in the State for coverage of orthoses for the MIA and MDH to aggregate the data. Requires the MIA and MDH, on or before December 31, 2032, to submit the joint report to the Senate Finance Committee and the House Health Committee.

HB 1091 / SB 813 (Chs. 736 & 737) - Health Insurance and Dental Plan Organizations - Dentists - Assignment of Benefits and Reimbursement of Nonpreferred Providers
Effective on January 1, 2027

Alters §§ 14-201 and 14-205.3 of the Insurance Article, which currently provides that an insurer may not prohibit an assignment of benefits to a physician by an insured or refuse to directly reimburse a nonpreferred provider who is a physician, to also apply to dentists.
Adds § 14-410.1 to the Insurance Article to:

Provide that a dental plan organization may not prohibit an assignment of benefits to a dentist by an insured or refuse to directly reimburse a nonpreferred provider who is a dentist;
Specify the information the dental plan organization is required to include when issuing payment to an enrollee who has not provided an assignment of benefits;
Specify the information to be submitted to an enrollee by a nonpreferred dentist seeking an assignment of benefits;
Require a nonpreferred dentist to submit a disclosure form developed by the Commissioner to document the assignment of benefits to the dental plan organization; and
Clarify the circumstances where a dental plan organization may refuse to directly reimburse a nonpreferred dentist under an assignment of benefits.

HB 1093 / SB 808 (Chs. 707 & 706) – Health Insurance – Provider Panels – Requirements
Effective on January 1, 2027

Amends § 15-112(g) of the Insurance Article to alter various notice requirements related to the status of a provider’s application to be credentialed to participate on the carrier’s provider panel to require the carrier to provide notice via email unless an email address is not listed in the application.
Amends § 15-112(g) of the Insurance Article to alter the following time periods under a carrier’s credentialing process:

Reduces the time period for a carrier to notify a provider of the carrier’s intent to either continue to process or reject the provider’s credentialing application from 30 days to 15 days following receipt of a completed application;
For a provider described in § 15-112(g)(2)(ii), reduces the time period for a carrier to accept or reject a provider for participation on the carriers provider panel from 60 days to 30 days following receipt of a completed application; and
For all other providers, reduces the time period for a carrier to accept or reject a provider for participation on the carrier's provider panel from 120 days to 60 days following the date the carrier provides notice of its intent to continue to process the provider’s application.

Amends §15-112(g)(5) of the Insurance Article to repeal the provision permitting a carrier to charge a reasonable fee for a credentialing application, and adds specific new requirements for carriers concerning their communication and responsiveness to providers in the credentialing process.
Amends §15-112(p) of the Insurance Article to require a carrier to use the online credentialing system as the primary source of information to create and update the carrier’s provider directory, and to require the Maryland Insurance Commissioner to adopt regulations to implement this requirement.
Amends §15-112.1(e) of the Insurance Article to repeal the requirement that the uniform credentialing form designated by the Commissioner must be developed by a nonprofit alliance of health plans and trade associations and to require the designated vendor of an online credentialing system to establish and maintain a stakeholder workgroup to identify and address operational issues to ensure the efficiency of the online credentialing system, and report to the Commissioner by September 1 of each year on the workgroup findings and carrier-specific data on length of time to complete the credentialing process.
Requires the Maryland Insurance Commissioner to report to the Maryland General Assembly on efforts to implement the workgroup’s findings, along with any recommendations for legislation to enact improvements, on or before December 1st of each year.
Amends § 15-112.3(b) to repeal the requirement that the multi-carrier common online provider directory information system designated by the Commissioner must be developed by a nonprofit alliance of health plans and trade associations and available to providers nationally at no charge, and requires the system to allow providers to update provider information every 120 days or at a frequency established by the Commissioner.

HB 1094 / SB 910 (Chs. 43 & 44) - Health Insurance - Graduate-Level Clinical Interns - Required Reimbursement
Effective on January 1, 2027

Alters §§ 15-704, 15-707, and 15-714 of the Insurance Article to establish that insureds or other covered persons are entitled to reimbursement for the services rendered by a graduate-level counseling, social work, or psychology clinical intern if a policy covers services within the lawful scope of licensed professional counselors, licensed certified social workers, or licensed psychologists. Reimbursement only applies to graduate-level clinical interns when services are:

delivered at an outpatient health facility by interns enrolled in relevant graduate programs and working under the direct supervision of appropriately licensed and board-approved supervisors; and
billed by the supervising provider.

SB 794 (Ch. 787) - Health Insurance - Special Enrollment Period for Pregnancy - Coverage Effective Date
Effective on January 1, 2027

Alters § 15-1316 of the Insurance Article to clarify that an individual who enrolls for coverage during a certain special enrollment period for pregnancy may choose whether the coverage will become effective either on either the first day of the month the individual receives confirmation of pregnancy or the first day of the month following the date of plan selection. If the individual fails to select a date, the carrier shall select a date from the two options on their behalf.

Property and Casualty

HB 1219 / SB 739 (Chs. 697 & 696) - Climate Change, Homeowner's Insurance, and Emergency Management - Study
Effective on June 1, 2026

Requires the University System of Maryland to conduct a study in coordination with and oversight by a workgroup to evaluate: (1) the extent to which climate change has contributed to the decreasing availability of and increasing costs associated with homeowner’s insurance; (2) the impact of recent and future changes in federal policies and grant funding streams related to disaster preparedness, response, recovery, mitigation, and resilience; (3) how federal funding has supported emergency management capabilities across the five emergency management mission areas identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency; and (4) existing local resources or reserve funds available for disaster recovery needs.
As it relates to insurance, requires that the report include: an overview of the current state of the National Flood Insurance Program, Community Rating System, and the private flood insurance market; recommendations on how the State can incentivize residents to invest in improvements to protect homes or mitigate damage from extreme weather events; and potential modifications to the Insurance Article to ensure that insurers adequately adjust rates for policyholders who have invested in home resiliency improvements or are located in an area where improvements have been made to local infrastructure or local building codes that reduce risk to the insured home.
Requires that the report be submitted to the General Assembly by July 1, 2027.

SB 865 (Ch. 786) - Workgroup on the Affordability of Private Passenger Automobile Insurance – Extension and Alteration of Membership and Duties
Effective on June 1, 2026

Alters the termination date, composition, and duties of the Workgroup on the Affordability of Private Passenger Automobile Insurance, which was established by Chapter 395 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 2025.
Requires the workgroup to develop data–driven, concrete legislative recommendations to reduce private passenger automobile insurance premiums, including specific recommendations regarding the use of territorial rating and other rating factors that may contribute to disparate impacts. As a part of developing its recommendations regarding the use of territorial rating and other rating factors, the workgroup shall consider the impact of modifications or alternate rating approaches to rates across the State.
Provides that the workgroup shall submit a report outlining the required recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly by January 1, 2027.

HB 1387 / SB 637 (Chs. 795 & 796) - Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund - Fund Producer Commission Rate
Effective on October 1, 2026

Amends § 20-512 of the Insurance Article to decrease the minimum commission rate that the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund (“the Fund”) must pay to an insurance producer that issues insurance policies on behalf of the Fund from 10% to 5% of the total premium.
Prohibits the Fund from paying a commission on a policy written directly by the Fund without the involvement of a producer.

HB 1186 / SB 395 (Chs. 50 & 49) - Peer-to-Peer Car Sharing Programs - Insurance and Liability
Effective on October 1, 2026

Repeals § 10-6A-05 of the Insurance Article, which made peer-to-peer sharing program insurance primary to other insurance that may apply to the vehicle, such as the operator’s own policy, removing the statutory requirement defining which insurance coverage must be the primary insurance for a vehicle being used in a peer-to-peer sharing program.
Replaces § 19-250(f) of the Insurance Article, which limits the ability of an insurer to deny, cancel void, terminate or non-renew a personal motor vehicle liability insurance policy on the basis that the vehicle covered under the policy has been made available for sharing, unless the policyholder fails to provide complete and accurate information about the use of the vehicle. The new § 19-250(f) specifies that the provisions of law governing peer-to-peer car sharing programs do not invalidate or limit an exclusion contained in a motor vehicle liability insurance policy, including an insurance policy in use or approved for use that excludes coverage for motor vehicles made available for rent, sharing, or hire or for a business use.
Alters who is required to provide coverage on the vehicle by adding the shared vehicle driver to the list of entities that can provide insurance coverage.

The Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund is exempt from this provision and is not required to provide coverage to a shared vehicle driver for use that is not a replacement vehicle.

Adds new § 18.5-102.1 to the Transportation Article to require a peer-to-peer car sharing program in Maryland to provide primary liability coverage for third-party claims if they fail to notify insurers, cooperate, or comply with disclosure requirements.
Amends § 18.5-108 of the Insurance Article to allow a peer-to-peer car sharing program to transfer monetary liability for any fees, tolls, fines incurred while the vehicle is being used to the driver during the car sharing period.

HB 30 / SB 578 (Chs. 527 & 528) - Public Safety - Department of State Police - Police-Initiated Towing - Alterations
Effective on October 1, 2026

Renames the “Committee on Rate Setting and Complaint Resolution for Police-Initiated Medium-Duty and Heavy-Duty Towing and Recovery” to the “Committee on Rate Setting and Complaint Resolution for Police-Initiated Towing and Recovery.”
Amends the definition of the term “police-initiated towing” to remove the requirement that a vehicle be a commercial vehicle in order to qualify as a police-initiated tow or recovery.
Expands the scope of towing rate-setting to require the Department of State Police to establish approved rates for light-duty towing and recovery, in addition to medium- and heavy-duty towing as required under existing law.
Specifies that the Department of State Police will establish police-initiated towing rates based on recommendations by the Committee on Rate Setting and Complaint Resolution for Police-Initiated Towing and Recovery.
Prohibits approved rates for light-duty towing and recovery from exceeding 80% of the maximum approved rates for medium-duty towing and recovery charged by a tow company.

HB 816 / SB 469 (Chs. 741 & 742) - Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund - Affordability Program and Industry Automobile Insurance Association Assessments
Effective on July 1, 2027, and sunsets on June 30, 2029

Authorizes the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund (“the Fund”), subject to the Maryland Insurance Commissioner’s Review, to establish an affordability program that limits the maximum premium rate for eligible policyholders, subject to guidelines for approval of the program.
An individual is eligible for a policy through the affordability program if:

they meet the Fund’s eligibility requirements under § 20-502 of the Insurance Article; and
they have a household income at or below 250% of the Federal Poverty Level.

Reduces the cap on assessment allocation percentage for the private passenger auto division that the Fund is authorized to issue against other motor vehicle insurers in Maryland, from 3% to 1%.

SB 747 (Ch. 717) - Condominiums - Unit Owner Responsibility for Damage or Destruction and Mandatory Insurance Coverage
Effective on October 1, 2027

Adds new § 11-114.3 to the Real Property Article to require unit condominium unit owners in a condominium composed entirely of units intended for residential use, but not a condominium composed entirely of similar detached units, to maintain their own insurance policies that meet specified requirements.
Amends § 11-114 of the Real Property Article to alter the financial responsibility of a unit owner when they are responsible for damage or destruction within the condominium to the lesser of (1) the total repair or replacement cost; (2) the council of the unit owner’s deductible amount (as specified in the policy); or (3) $25,000.
Requires the council of unit owners to inform owners annually of these responsibilities and deductible amounts.

Market Regulation & Professional Licensing

HB 38 (Ch. 512) - Financial Institutions - Licensing of Affiliated Insurance Producer-Mortgage Loan Originators - Alterations
Effective on October 1, 2026

Amends §§ 11-603.1 and 11–619 of the Financial Institutions Article to allow an insurance agent who is co-regulated as a mortgage loan originator to be able to contract with licensed mortgage lenders who meet the following criteria:

is in good standing with the Commissioner of Financial Regulation, and any other regulator to which it is subject to; and
is in material compliance with applicable state and federal law.

SB 242 (Ch. 694) - Modernizing Civil Relief for Service Members Act
Effective on October 1, 2026

Amends numerous Articles of the Maryland Code, including the Insurance Article, to authorize active service members, and spouses, to practice in the State under an occupational or professional license issued in another jurisdiction. This includes a license to act as a producer, adviser, bail bondsman, or public adjuster. In order to practice in Maryland, the active service member, or spouse of an active service member, must submit an application that includes proof of the orders, a notarized affidavit affirming that the applicant meets specified requirements, and a qualifying spouse must submit a marriage certificate. The active service member, or spouse of an active service member, is not required to obtain a Maryland license, but is subject to the same disciplinary authority as a licensee.
Alters the definition of "eligible veteran" for purposes of occupational or professional licensing processes to include former service members who have been discharged for more than 1 year before an application for a license, certificate, or registration is submitted.

HB 1120 / SB 418 (Chs. 492 and 493) - Professional Licensing Portability - Members of the Foreign Service and Spouses
Effective on October 1, 2026

Amends numerous Articles of the Maryland Code, including the Insurance Article, to authorize foreign service members, and their spouses, to practice in the State, for the duration of the assignment or detail, under an occupational or professional license issued in another jurisdiction. The member of the foreign service, or the spouse of a member of the Foreign Service, must provide a copy of the notification of assignment or detail, remain in good standing in all states in which the applicant holds or has held a license, and have actively used the license during the 2 years immediately preceding relocation.

Financial Regulation

SB 890 (Ch. 638) - Insurance - Captive Insurers - Premium Receipts Tax Study
Effective July 1, 2026

Requires the Maryland Insurance Administration, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, to study the use, regulation and taxation of captive insurance companies by entities in Maryland and report the findings and recommendations by January 1, 2027.
The study is required to examine:

utilization of captive insurance by nonprofit and for-profit entities;
existing federal and state regulatory and taxation frameworks that apply to captive insurance, including states with and without established captive insurance frameworks, focusing on mechanisms used for funding regulatory oversight and how other states tax capital contributions and internal reserves, as specified;
the feasibility, utility, and potential structure of establishing a state registry for captive insurance companies domiciled in other jurisdictions but used by entities in Maryland, including an analysis of how a registry framework could provide regulatory transparency and fund oversight operations; and
the aggregate results of any completed investigations regarding the use of captive insurance by nonprofit and for-profit entities in the State.

HB 1616 / SB 982 (Chs. 688) - Mutual Insurance Holding Companies - Conversion to Mutual Insurers
Effective October 1, 2026

Adds new § 3-121.2 to the Insurance Article, which authorizes a mutual insurance holding company that, directly or indirectly, owns 100% of the capital stock of a reorganized stock insurer to convert its mutual insurance holding company system into a mutual insurer through a plan of conversion.
Requires plans of conversion to meet specified criteria, and to be submitted to the Insurance Commissioner for approval at least 60 days prior to the effective date of the conversion.
In addition to a plan of conversion, a mutual insurance holding company must submit the following to MIA:

amendments to the articles of incorporation and bylaws of the reorganized stock insurer necessary to convert the mutual insurer;
a five year plan of operation for the converted mutual insurer, as specified;
a list of the officers and directors of the converted mutual insurer;
a biographical affidavit of each officer and director of the converted mutual insurer; and
any other documents or information requested by MIA.

General

HB 1559 (Ch. 160) - Children in Unlicensed Settings and Pediatric Hospital Overstay Patients - Placements
Effective on June 1, 2026 (Section 3 of the Act will take effect October 1, 2026 and sunsets on September 30, 2029, and Section 2 of the Act will take effect January 1, 2027)

Prohibits the placement of children in unlicensed settings under the out-of-home placement program, which is required to be established by the Social Services Administration.
Alters the duties of the pediatric hospital overstay coordinators.
Establishes the Child and Youth Placement Review Panel in the Governor's Office for Children, with the Senior Advisor for Children and Families as its head.
Establishes the Advisory Council on Maryland's System of Care for Children, Youth, and Families. The Insurance Commissioner, or designee, is a member of the Council. The Council is tasked with reviewing existing laws and regulations pertaining to medical and behavioral health care in the State, including:

Youth out-of-home placements; and
Barriers to capacity expansion, including rate reform and insurance parity.