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SB 1004

SB 1004 - This act establishes the Missouri Angel Investment Incentive Act. For all tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2027, this act allows an investor, as defined in the act, to claim a tax credit in an amount equal to forty percent of the investor’s investment in the qualified securities of a qualified Missouri business, as defined in the act, or fifty percent of the investor's investment if the qualified Missouri business is located in a rural county, as defined in the act. If the amount of the tax credit exceeds the investor’s tax liability in any one tax year, the credit may be carried forward for up to five subsequent tax years. No investor shall receive more than seventy-five thousand dollars in tax credits in a single year for contributions to a single qualified Missouri business, and shall not receive more than three hundred thousand dollars in tax credits in total in a single tax year. A tax credit may be transferred by a qualified investor. The total amount of tax credits authorized in a single tax year by the Missouri Technology Corporation (MTC) shall not exceed six million dollars for the 2027 and 2028 calendar years. Thereafter, the maximum amount of tax credits that may be authorized shall be increased annually by 20%, provided that the maximum amount of tax credits was authorized in the previous year. To be designated as a qualified Missouri business, a business shall apply to the MTC, as described in the act. The designation of a business as a qualified Missouri business shall be made annually by the MTC. In addition to other requirements described in the act, a qualified Missouri business shall not have had annual gross revenues of more than five million dollars in the most recent tax year of the business, and the business shall not have been in operation longer than five years if the business is not a bioscience business, or longer than ten years if the business is a bioscience business. Each business that has been allocated tax credits by the MTC shall submit a report containing certain information, as described in the act, to the MTC before such tax credits are issued. The state of Missouri shall not be held liable for any damages to an investor that makes an investment in any qualified security of a qualified Missouri business, any business that applies to be a qualified Missouri business but is turned down, or any investor that makes an investment in a business that applies to be a qualified Missouri business but is turned down. The MTC shall annually review the activities undertaken by this act to ensure they are in compliance with the provisions of the act. If the MTC determines that a business is not in substantial compliance, it may inform the business that such business will lose its designation if it does not come into compliance within one hundred twenty days. If the business does not come into compliance, the MTC may revoke its designation. If a business loses its designation as a qualified Missouri business, it shall be precluded from being allocated any additional tax credits. However, investors in such a business shall be entitled to keep all of the tax credits properly issued prior to the loss of designation by the business. The MTC shall report certain information annually, as described in the act, to the Department of Economic Development, the Governor, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. This act shall sunset on December 31, 2033, unless reauthorized by the General Assembly. This act is identical to SB 1563 (2026) and HB 1845 (2026), and to provisions in HCS/HB 235 (2025), and is substantially similar to SCS/SB 461 (2025), SCS/SB 1178 (2024), HCS/HB 2226 (2024), SS/SCS/SB 413 (2023), HB 727 (2023), SB 78 (2017), and HB 2302 (2016), and to provisions in SS#2/SCS/HCS/HBs 3231 & 2531 (2026), HCS/HB 682 (2025), and HCS/SS/SCS/SB 92 (2023), as amended. JOSH NORBERG

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Kurtis Gregory

Md. SB 1004 clarifies when courts may or must grant grandparent visitation, sets clear best-interest and interference standards, and ties decisions to prior contact with the child.

Voted Do Pass S Economic and Workforce Development Committee
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Bill Summary · SB 1004

SB 1004 — Family Law: Grandparent Visitation (Maryland)

Status: First Reading (Senate Rules) — Introduced Feb 1, 2025
Primary sponsor: Senator Benson
Companion bill: HB 721
Effective date if enacted: October 1, 2025

Purpose / Intent

The bill revises Maryland’s grandparent-visitation statute (Family Law §9‑102) to clarify when an equity court may or must grant visitation to a child’s grandparent. It narrows and specifies procedural and substantive criteria, adds a presumption‑protecting standard for parental relationship interference claims, and requires courts to consider prior personal contact between the grandparent and child.

Key provisions

  • Rewrites and reorganizes §9‑102 to establish clear “may grant” and “shall grant” scenarios.
  • Discretionary grant (court may grant) — applicable when:
    • The grandparent’s petition is filed after a parent has initiated divorce, annulment, custody, or paternity proceedings; and
    • The court finds (1) granting visitation is in the best interests of the child, and (2) granting visitation would not interfere with the parent–child relationship.
    • In making the best‑interest determination the court must consider the amount of personal contact between the grandparent and child before the petition was filed.
  • Mandatory grant (court shall grant) — applicable when:
    • Either (a) the child resided with the grandparent for at least 12 months, or (b) the child’s parent who is the grandparent’s child is deceased; and
    • The court finds (1) granting visitation is in the child’s best interests, and (2) granting visitation would not interfere with the parent–child relationship.
  • Burden/standard regarding alleged interference:
    • A court may not deny visitation based on allegations that it would interfere with the parent–child relationship unless, after a hearing, the court determines by a preponderance of the evidence that such interference would occur. In other words, the party asserting likely interference must prove it more likely than not.

Who is affected

  • Grandparents seeking court‑ordered visitation with a grandchild (especially when petitions follow parent divorce/ paternity/custody actions, when the child lived with the grandparent ≥12 months, or when a parent is deceased).
  • Parents and custodial caregivers (their rights are protected by a statutory requirement that courts not deny visitation on mere allegation of interference without evidence meeting the preponderance standard).
  • Equity courts that adjudicate family matters will apply the revised criteria and evidentiary standard.
  • Children who may gain (or be denied) additional court‑ordered contact with grandparents.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • Introduced Feb 1, 2025; assigned to Senate Rules. Companion/related legislation includes HB 721.
  • If enacted, the bill takes effect October 1, 2025.

Potential impact and considerations

  • Lowers procedural barriers for grandparents in specific circumstances (residency with grandparent for ≥12 months; deceased parent), while retaining the child’s best‑interest test.
  • Shifts evidentiary burden onto the party opposing visitation when alleging parent–child interference, potentially reducing denials based on unsubstantiated claims.
  • Could increase petitions for grandparent visitation following divorce/custody/paternity filings; may also increase hearings to resolve interference claims by preponderance.
  • Leaves core parental‑rights protections intact by requiring courts to find no interference and to apply best‑interest factors before granting visitation.

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

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