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HB 1506

Insurance; Insurance Act of 2025; effective date.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Mark Tedford

Raises Maryland municipal fines: misdemeanors and infractions up to $5,000 (from $1,000), expanding local enforcement; effective Sept 1, 2025.

Second Reading referred to Rules
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Bill Summary · HB 1506

Summary — HB 1506: Municipalities — Enforcement of Ordinances and Resolutions

Short description: HB 1506 increases the maximum monetary penalty that Maryland municipalities may impose for (1) violations declared misdemeanors under municipal law and (2) municipal infractions (civil offenses such as certain zoning/land‑use violations and littering). The bill raises the cap on fines from $1,000 to $5,000.

Effective date (legislative record): Signed by the Governor on June 20, 2025; effective September 1, 2025. Companion: SB 820.

Purpose / Intent

To give municipal governments greater authority to impose higher monetary penalties when enforcing local ordinances and resolutions, thereby strengthening local enforcement tools for municipal offenses and municipal infractions.

Key provisions

  • Amends Article — Local Government, Sections 6–101 and 6–102:
    • Raises the maximum fine for a violation the municipality classifies as a misdemeanor from $1,000 to $5,000. The statutory maximum imprisonment for such misdemeanors remains at 6 months (unchanged).
    • Raises the maximum fine for each municipal infraction from $1,000 to $5,000. Municipal infractions remain civil offenses.
    • Retains existing examples of municipal infractions that municipalities may classify: zoning and land‑use ordinance/regulation violations and littering under § 10–110 of the Criminal Law Article.
    • Clarifies that the fine for a municipal infraction is payable to the municipality within 20 calendar days of service of the citation.

Who is affected

  • Municipal governments in Maryland: gain statutory authority to impose higher fines for local misdemeanors and municipal infractions.
  • Residents, property owners, businesses, contractors, and others subject to municipal ordinances: could face higher fines for violations.
  • Local treasuries: may receive increased revenue if municipalities choose to levy higher fines.
  • Municipal court systems/administrative enforcement mechanisms: may handle citations reflecting the new maximums (no change to imprisonment procedure).

Fiscal and policy impacts

  • State: no material fiscal effect.
  • Local governments: potential increase in revenue to the extent municipalities impose higher fines. The Department of Legislative Services fiscal note indicates local expenditures are not materially affected.
  • Small businesses: fiscal note indicates no direct small business effect (though affected businesses could face higher fines if cited).

Legislative and procedural timeline

  • Introduced (House): February 14, 2025 (Delegate Taylor).
  • Committee actions, readings, and passage through both chambers during spring 2025.
  • Reported enrolled and sent to Governor late May 2025.
  • Signed by Governor: June 20, 2025.
  • Effective: September 1, 2025 (per legislative record).

Implementation notes

  • Statutory edits update the dollar amounts in Local Government §§ 6–101 and 6–102; municipalities retain discretion to classify violations as misdemeanors or as municipal infractions (within existing subject‑matter limits).
  • Municipalities that choose to impose higher fines may need to update ordinances, citation forms, billing/collection procedures, and public information materials to reflect the new caps.

Related bill: SB 820 (companion).

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

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