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HB 903

Courts - Global Warming and Climate Change - Prohibited Actions (Ratepayer Protection Act of 2025)

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Chris Adams and 36 co-sponsors

HB 903 prohibits Maryland courts from considering climate change in litigation, blocking climate-related claims and potentially shielding defendants from climate-related liability.

Hearing 2/27 at 1:00 p.m.
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Bill Summary · HB 903

Legislative bill overview

HB 903 would prohibit Maryland courts from considering global warming and climate change as factors in judicial decisions, effectively barring climate-related claims and arguments from the state court system. The bill frames this restriction as protecting ratepayers from increased utility costs that might result from climate-related litigation or court rulings.

Why is this important

This bill would fundamentally alter Maryland's legal landscape by creating a categorical exclusion for an entire category of environmental and public health concerns in judicial proceedings. If enacted, it could prevent residents from bringing nuisance claims, environmental damage suits, or other legal actions related to climate impacts, while simultaneously shielding defendants from climate-related liability arguments.

Potential points of contention

  • Constitutional concerns: Limiting what evidence and arguments courts can consider may conflict with due process rights and the right to petition for redress of grievances, potentially inviting legal challenges on constitutional grounds.
  • Scope and enforceability: The bill's definition of what constitutes "global warming and climate change" arguments is unclear—whether this blocks all climate science, only climate attribution claims, or only specific remedies remains ambiguous.
  • Real-world damages: Prohibiting climate-related claims could prevent individuals from recovering damages for climate-related harms (flooding, property damage, health impacts) regardless of factual causation or defendant liability.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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