Authorizing Calvert County to enter into certain contracts for infrastructure and asset management under certain circumstances.

Requiring a local planning commission to notify the Department of Planning when beginning the review of the local jurisdiction's comprehensive plan; requiring the Department, within 60 days of receiving the notification, to provide guidance materials relating to State law, best practices for local comprehensive plans, and any other resources to support the plan's review; and requiring the Department to develop and maintain certain guidance materials in consultation with certain other State agencies and offices.

Prohibiting licensed massage therapists, registered massage practitioners, and third parties directed by licensed massage therapists or registered massage practitioners from placing, publishing, or distributing certain advertisements; and requiring that if an advertisement for massage therapy services lists the name of a licensed massage therapist or registered massage practitioner, the name displayed on the advertisement must be consistent with the name of the individual on the Board issued license or registration.

Requiring each local school system to designate a local point of contact for certain communications, to comply with, and certify compliance with, the State minimum cybersecurity standards, and to conduct a cybersecurity maturity assessment every 2 years; requiring the Office of Security Management within the Department of Information Technology to annually review and, if necessary, update the State minimum cybersecurity standards; requiring the Department to advise local school systems on certain functions; etc.

Altering requirements related to the confidentiality of unemployment insurance information to ensure compliance with federal law and regulations; altering existing confidentiality requirements related to inspection of employment records and claim information by agents of child support enforcement units; establishing exceptions to confidentiality requirements in accordance with federal law and regulations; etc.

Clarifying that applicants for licensure as an optometrist and certain applicants for reinstatement are required to pass all sections of each part of a licensure examination; repealing the requirement that the State Board of Examiners in Optometry give examinations to licensure applicants; prohibiting the Board from placing a licensee on inactive status for more than 6 consecutive years; etc.

Continuing the State Board of Barbers, the State Board of Cosmetologists, the State Board for Professional Land Surveyors, the State Commission of Real Estate Appraisers, Appraisal Management Companies, and Home Inspectors, and the State Board of Individual Tax Preparers in accordance with the provisions of the Maryland Program Evaluation Act (sunset law) by extending to July 1, 2032, the termination provisions relating to the statutory and regulatory authority of the boards and commission; etc.

Clarifying the Consumer Price Index used to determine the cost-of-living adjustments for retirees of the State Retirement and Pension System in certain years.

Altering the grounds on which the Maryland Insurance Commissioner may deny an applicant for registration as or refuse to renew, suspend, or revoke the registration of a third party administrator; and altering the violations for which the Commissioner may impose civil penalties against a third party administrator.

Adding two student members to the Somerset County Board of Education; altering who appoints an individual to fill a vacancy on the board to be the County Commissioners of Somerset County instead of the Governor; increasing the annual compensation for the chair and regular members of the board to be $6,000 and $5,000, respectively; and altering the actions the board may take during an executive session.

Altering the membership of the Maryland Health Care Commission by reducing from nine to eight the number of members who are individuals who do not have any connection with the management or policy of a health care provider or payor and including an administrator of a hospital; and altering from five to four the number of Commission members who must be residents of different counties with a population of 300,000 or more.

Continuing the Maryland Horse Industry Board in accordance with the provisions of the Maryland Program Evaluation Act (sunset law) by extending to July 1, 2036, the termination provisions relating to the statutory and regulatory authority of the Board.

Altering the Public Access Automated External Defibrillator Program, including by establishing requirements regarding an automated external defibrillator (AED) coordinator, repealing certain provisions of law regarding regional council AED committees, and exempting certain law enforcement agencies from being required to obtain a certificate for an AED deployed in a patrol vehicle of the law enforcement agency; establishing certain certification qualifications for grocery stores and restaurants under the Program; etc.

Requiring the State Fire Prevention Commission to adopt regulations that incorporate by reference sections 30.7.5 and 31.7.5 of the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) Life Safety Code (2024 Edition) and authorize the placement of trash and recycling in corridors and exits in accordance with the NFPA Life Safety Code.

Repealing the requirement that a notarized bill of sale be submitted to the Motor Vehicle Administration when transferring ownership of a certain used vehicle.

Continuing the State Board of Environmental Health Specialists, in accordance with the provisions of the Maryland Program Evaluation Act (sunset law), by extending to July 1, 2032, the termination provisions relating to the statutory and regulatory authority of the Board.

Requiring the Secretary of Aging to lead implementation of the Longevity Ready Maryland Plan which is a multisector plan on aging that transforms programs, services, policies, institutions, and systems to address the growing population of older adults in the State; repealing, adding, and altering certain duties of the Secretary; requiring the Secretary to maintain a publicly accessible resource on the Department's website for monitoring implementation of the Plan; requiring an updated Longevity Plan every four years; etc.

Requiring the State Board of Elections to designate a contact person for the Address Confidentiality Program; providing that the contact person acts as the contact for inquiries about the Program from local boards of elections and Program participants on matters related to the implementation of the Address Confidentiality Program; etc.

Constituting the Village Council of Drummond as the governing body of the special taxing district constituted as the Village of Drummond in Montgomery County; providing for the structure, membership, duties, and obligations of the Village Council; altering the eligible uses of funds derived from the Village's annual special tax levy; and providing for the Village's annual appropriations process.

Authorizing the governing body of Calvert County to grant a property tax credit against the county property tax imposed on certain real property that was formerly used solely as a tobacco barn; and applying the Act to all taxable years beginning after June 30, 2026.

Requiring certain insurers, nonprofit health service plans, health maintenance organizations, and managed care organizations that provide coverage for chemotherapy to treat cancer to provide coverage for scalp cooling systems used for the preservation of hair in connection with chemotherapy treatment; and applying the Act to all policies, contracts, and health benefit plans issued, delivered, or renewed in the State on or after January 1, 2027.

Establishing the Aging Resilience Fund to be used to carry out the mission of the Department of Aging including personnel, partnership development, and any programs, services, or activities within the Department; requiring interest earnings of the Fund to be credited to the Fund; and requiring the Secretary to annually report by January 1 to certain committees of the General Assembly on the total amount in the Fund, the total number of deposits, including amounts and sources, and the amounts and purposes of the expenditures from the Fund.

Extending from 30 to 90 days the period of time before applying for a license to participate in a boxing, kick boxing, wrestling, or mixed martial arts contest and before participating in the contest during which certain blood testing may be conducted for purposes of submission of the results to the State Athletic Commission.

Requiring certain insurers, nonprofit health service plans, health maintenance organizations, and managed care organizations that provide coverage for chemotherapy to treat cancer to provide coverage for scalp cooling systems used for the preservation of hair in connection with chemotherapy treatment; and applying the Act to all policies, contracts, and health benefit plans issued, delivered, or renewed in the State on or after January 1, 2027.

Authorizing Calvert County to enter into certain contracts for infrastructure and asset management under certain circumstances.

Requiring a local planning commission to notify the Department of Planning when beginning the review of the local jurisdiction's comprehensive plan; requiring the Department, within 60 days of receiving the notification, to provide guidance materials relating to State law, best practices for local comprehensive plans, and any other resources to support the plan's review; and requiring the Department to develop and maintain certain guidance materials in consultation with certain other State agencies and offices.

Prohibiting licensed massage therapists, registered massage practitioners, and third parties directed by licensed massage therapists or registered massage practitioners from placing, publishing, or distributing certain advertisements; and requiring that if an advertisement for massage therapy services lists the name of a licensed massage therapist or registered massage practitioner, the name displayed on the advertisement must be consistent with the name of the individual on the Board issued license or registration.

Requiring each local school system to designate a local point of contact for certain communications, to comply with, and certify compliance with, the State minimum cybersecurity standards, and to conduct a cybersecurity maturity assessment every 2 years; requiring the Office of Security Management within the Department of Information Technology to annually review and, if necessary, update the State minimum cybersecurity standards; requiring the Department to advise local school systems on certain functions; etc.

Altering requirements related to the confidentiality of unemployment insurance information to ensure compliance with federal law and regulations; altering existing confidentiality requirements related to inspection of employment records and claim information by agents of child support enforcement units; establishing exceptions to confidentiality requirements in accordance with federal law and regulations; etc.

Clarifying that applicants for licensure as an optometrist and certain applicants for reinstatement are required to pass all sections of each part of a licensure examination; repealing the requirement that the State Board of Examiners in Optometry give examinations to licensure applicants; prohibiting the Board from placing a licensee on inactive status for more than 6 consecutive years; etc.

Continuing the State Board of Barbers, the State Board of Cosmetologists, the State Board for Professional Land Surveyors, the State Commission of Real Estate Appraisers, Appraisal Management Companies, and Home Inspectors, and the State Board of Individual Tax Preparers in accordance with the provisions of the Maryland Program Evaluation Act (sunset law) by extending to July 1, 2032, the termination provisions relating to the statutory and regulatory authority of the boards and commission; etc.

Clarifying the Consumer Price Index used to determine the cost-of-living adjustments for retirees of the State Retirement and Pension System in certain years.

Altering the grounds on which the Maryland Insurance Commissioner may deny an applicant for registration as or refuse to renew, suspend, or revoke the registration of a third party administrator; and altering the violations for which the Commissioner may impose civil penalties against a third party administrator.

Adding two student members to the Somerset County Board of Education; altering who appoints an individual to fill a vacancy on the board to be the County Commissioners of Somerset County instead of the Governor; increasing the annual compensation for the chair and regular members of the board to be $6,000 and $5,000, respectively; and altering the actions the board may take during an executive session.

Altering the membership of the Maryland Health Care Commission by reducing from nine to eight the number of members who are individuals who do not have any connection with the management or policy of a health care provider or payor and including an administrator of a hospital; and altering from five to four the number of Commission members who must be residents of different counties with a population of 300,000 or more.

Continuing the Maryland Horse Industry Board in accordance with the provisions of the Maryland Program Evaluation Act (sunset law) by extending to July 1, 2036, the termination provisions relating to the statutory and regulatory authority of the Board.

Altering the Public Access Automated External Defibrillator Program, including by establishing requirements regarding an automated external defibrillator (AED) coordinator, repealing certain provisions of law regarding regional council AED committees, and exempting certain law enforcement agencies from being required to obtain a certificate for an AED deployed in a patrol vehicle of the law enforcement agency; establishing certain certification qualifications for grocery stores and restaurants under the Program; etc.

Requiring the State Fire Prevention Commission to adopt regulations that incorporate by reference sections 30.7.5 and 31.7.5 of the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) Life Safety Code (2024 Edition) and authorize the placement of trash and recycling in corridors and exits in accordance with the NFPA Life Safety Code.

Repealing the requirement that a notarized bill of sale be submitted to the Motor Vehicle Administration when transferring ownership of a certain used vehicle.

Continuing the State Board of Environmental Health Specialists, in accordance with the provisions of the Maryland Program Evaluation Act (sunset law), by extending to July 1, 2032, the termination provisions relating to the statutory and regulatory authority of the Board.

Requiring the Secretary of Aging to lead implementation of the Longevity Ready Maryland Plan which is a multisector plan on aging that transforms programs, services, policies, institutions, and systems to address the growing population of older adults in the State; repealing, adding, and altering certain duties of the Secretary; requiring the Secretary to maintain a publicly accessible resource on the Department's website for monitoring implementation of the Plan; requiring an updated Longevity Plan every four years; etc.

Requiring the State Board of Elections to designate a contact person for the Address Confidentiality Program; providing that the contact person acts as the contact for inquiries about the Program from local boards of elections and Program participants on matters related to the implementation of the Address Confidentiality Program; etc.

Constituting the Village Council of Drummond as the governing body of the special taxing district constituted as the Village of Drummond in Montgomery County; providing for the structure, membership, duties, and obligations of the Village Council; altering the eligible uses of funds derived from the Village's annual special tax levy; and providing for the Village's annual appropriations process.

Authorizing the governing body of Calvert County to grant a property tax credit against the county property tax imposed on certain real property that was formerly used solely as a tobacco barn; and applying the Act to all taxable years beginning after June 30, 2026.

Requiring certain insurers, nonprofit health service plans, health maintenance organizations, and managed care organizations that provide coverage for chemotherapy to treat cancer to provide coverage for scalp cooling systems used for the preservation of hair in connection with chemotherapy treatment; and applying the Act to all policies, contracts, and health benefit plans issued, delivered, or renewed in the State on or after January 1, 2027.

Establishing the Aging Resilience Fund to be used to carry out the mission of the Department of Aging including personnel, partnership development, and any programs, services, or activities within the Department; requiring interest earnings of the Fund to be credited to the Fund; and requiring the Secretary to annually report by January 1 to certain committees of the General Assembly on the total amount in the Fund, the total number of deposits, including amounts and sources, and the amounts and purposes of the expenditures from the Fund.

Extending from 30 to 90 days the period of time before applying for a license to participate in a boxing, kick boxing, wrestling, or mixed martial arts contest and before participating in the contest during which certain blood testing may be conducted for purposes of submission of the results to the State Athletic Commission.

Requiring certain insurers, nonprofit health service plans, health maintenance organizations, and managed care organizations that provide coverage for chemotherapy to treat cancer to provide coverage for scalp cooling systems used for the preservation of hair in connection with chemotherapy treatment; and applying the Act to all policies, contracts, and health benefit plans issued, delivered, or renewed in the State on or after January 1, 2027.