Your advocacy is essential to labor’s success. Thank you to everyone who has supported labor’s bills thus far. The State Federation has stood in solidarity with our unions including AFT-MD, AFSCME, UAW, UFCW 400, IBEW, IUPAT, IUOE, ATU, and more. Remember, when labor stands together, we win.
Our weekly labor lobbyists meetings will continue every Monday night at 5pm at the Maryland State & DC AFL-CIO headquarters through April 6th. These meetings provide a vital space for robust conversation regarding the legislation we are testifying on, supporting or opposing, and tracking. These meetings provide a unique opportunity to discuss current and upcoming legislation with union siblings from across Maryland, prepare for lobbying visits, and network with your labor counterparts.
In-Person participation is highly encouraged and preferred. Please RSVP to Elizabeth Bobo at ebobo@mddclabor.org.
A virtual option is available, but it is strictly listen-only. Email Elizabeth to request a Zoom link.
Recap of the First 40 Days
We are officially 40 days into the 2026 legislative session, almost halfway, and nearly 3,000 bills have been introduced across both Chambers. We have read through all bills, and of the more than 200 bills the State Federation is tracking, we have already submitted written testimony or testified in person on over 50 bills affecting workers across every sector. Below is a snapshot of some of the major legislation labor is championing this session.
This is exactly the moment when labor must be seen, heard, and impossible to ignore.
As we approach March, hearings will be longer, and committees have already begun voting sessions. The work only gets faster from here.
With decisions moving quickly and major bills advancing, our voices need to be in the room, on the record, and at the table to ensure working people are uplifted. Your outreach to committee members could be the catalyst to passing a bill. It is not too late to email legislators.
Nontenure track faculty have spent more than a decade organizing for the basic workplace rights already afforded to thousands of Maryland public employees, yet state law denies them the freedom to form and join a union of their choice. This legislation corrects that injustice by extending collective bargaining rights to the educators who teach the majority of undergraduate courses and sustain the academic mission of our public institutions.
SB84/HB141 - State Personnel - Collective Bargaining - Graduate Assistants
Collective bargaining is a fundamental exercise of freedom and democracy that allows workers to negotiate as equals with their employers. This legislation simply ensures that graduate workers at USM, Morgan State, and St. Mary’s College can exercise their right to organize and decide for themselves whether to form a union.
SB60/HB299 - Fraud Prevention, Prevailing Wage, and Living Wage - Prohibitions, Penalties, and Enforcement
Workplace fraud is widespread across Maryland, and even if only a fraction of employers are caught, it is still fraud that demands accountability. This legislation strengthens enforcement by expanding the Commissioner’s authority so investigations move faster, decisions stay on track, and employers can no longer stall cases until workers give up.
SB28/HB604 - Arbitration Reform for State Employees Act of 2026
This legislation amends the Maryland Constitution to establish binding arbitration for certain state worker collective bargaining, a process widely used in both the private and public sectors. This legislation brings balance to negotiations by ensuring both parties are motivated to bargain in good faith and reach timely agreements.
SB417/HB45 - Maryland Worker Freedom Act
Workers should not be forced to sit through their employer’s personal political or religious views just to keep their job. “Captive audience” meetings strip employees of a basic freedom: the right to decide for themselves whether to engage in these conversations without fear of retaliation. This bill is about protecting workers from coercion.
SB3/HB188 - Unemployment Modernization Act of 2026
Unemployment insurance is one of the most important tools we have to prevent working people from falling into financial crisis when they lose their job. It stabilizes families, keeps communities thriving, and supports the broader economy. This legislation strengthens our UI system by raising the minimum and maximum weekly benefit amount at a moment when Maryland’s workforce urgently needs it.
Stay Informed If you haven't already, please bookmark the Maryland State and DC AFL-CIO Legislative Calendar. With hearings and voting sessions being scheduled on short notice, consistent visibility is our greatest asset.
🔎 WEEKLY BILL TRACKER
Week of February 23
Below are the bills the State Federation is tracking this week. Click each bill number to read the full text on the Maryland General Assembly website.
🔴 LABOR TESTIFYING IN PERSON
🟡 SUBMITTING WRITTEN TESTIMONY
🔵 MONITORING
📅 Tuesday, February 24
Hearings at 1:00 PM
🔵HB 711: Data Privacy – Consumer Data, Public Records, and Message Switching System
Summary: Establishes comprehensive standards for how businesses collect, process, and share consumer personal data. Grants Marylanders the right to access, delete, and opt out of the sale of their personal information. Also regulates “message switching” to enhance digital privacy.
🟡 HB 898: Economic Development – Delivering Economic Competitiveness and Advancing Development Efforts (DECADE) Act
Summary: A major administration initiative designed to boost Maryland’s GDP over the next ten years by restructuring state economic development grants, prioritizing high-growth industries (such as biotech and green energy), and creating tax incentives for businesses that meet job-creation milestones.
🟡 HB 155: Public Safety – Law Enforcement Officers – Prohibition on Face Coverings
Summary: Prohibits law enforcement officers from wearing face coverings that hide their identity while on duty, except for health-related PPE or specific tactical operations, in order to increase officer accountability and public trust.
🟡 HB 480: Transportation Network Companies – Deactivation of Operators
Summary: Provides gig worker protections by requiring rideshare companies to provide formal notice and an internal appeals process before permanently deactivating a driver’s account, helping prevent arbitrary loss of income.
🟡 HB 77: Consumer Protection – Sale and Resale of Event Tickets – Registration and Regulation
Summary: Regulates the secondary ticket market by requiring resellers to register with the state, prohibiting speculative ticketing (selling tickets they do not yet own), and mandating full transparency for all fees at the beginning of the transaction.
📅 Wednesday, February 25
Hearings at 1:00 PM
🟡 SB 671: Procurement Contracts and Construction Contracts – Payments
Summary: Streamlines the payment timeline for state construction projects by mandating that prime contractors pay subcontractors within a specific window after receiving state funds and establishes interest penalties for late payments.
Summary: Regulates the payout structures and tax rates for Historical Horse Racing (HHR) electronic machines, ensuring a portion of the revenue will be distributed to the General Fund and the Blueprint for Maryland's Future.
🟡 SB 740: Transportation Network Companies – Deactivation of Operators
Summary: Strengthens enforcement of apprenticeship requirements on state-funded projects by requiring contractors to demonstrate that apprentices are completing required hours and establishing penalties for non-compliance.
Summary: Proposes a structural overhaul of the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), including the creation of a new Oversight Board with the power to approve the agency’s budget and long-term capital plans, with the goal of improving reliability for bus and rail services.
🔵SB 504: Data Privacy – Consumer Data, Public Records, and Message Switching System
Summary: A key rail safety bill that mandates any freight train operating in the state of Maryland must have a minimum crew of at least two individuals to ensure safe operation and effective emergency response.
🟡 SB 605: Public Service Commission – Broadband and Voice Over Internet Protocol Service – Oversight
Summary: Expands the authority of the Public Service Commission (PSC) to regulate broadband and VOIP (digital phone) services, with a focus on consumer protections, service reliability, and affordability in underserved rural and urban communities.
🟡 SB 143: Public Works Contracts – Apprenticeship Requirements
Summary: Also known as the Maryland Workforce Apprenticeship Utilization Act, this bill requires contractors on large public works projects to ensure that a certain percentage of total labor hours are performed by registered apprentices.
🛎 Reminder: Testimony sign-up and written submissions are handled exclusively through the MyMGA portal, with strict deadlines and no late entries. Check committee schedules early and often.
Have you submitted your own testimony yet? Upload your written testimony through the MyMGA portal so your voice is heard — every member story matters.
Share your testimony submissions with us via email unions@mddclabor.org. Note: This is for testimony that you've already submitted to my MGA. We will not submit on your behalf but we will help you create testimony if you need help.
If you are out lobbying, we'd love photos of that too. Include your photos in your email! View what's been submitted so far by visiting: https://mddclabor.org/2026-testimony.
This is NOT a comprehensive list of bills that we're watching. Come to our Monday lobbyist meetings if you want more information about what's happening in Annapolis.
📝 HOW TO SUBMIT TESTIMONY (READ THIS BEFORE THE PORTAL CLOSES)
Planning to testify on upcoming legislation? Great. To ensure that your testimony counts, follow the rules and use the tools available.
All testimony submissions (oral sign-up and written testimony) must be completed through the MyMGA portal.
Testimony opens up 2 business days before the hearing date (i.e. if your bill is heard on a Tuesday, testimony is due by Friday). Testimony is open from 8:00am to 6:00pm.
The bill orders are usually posted on the website by noon on the day of the hearing.
All testimony will be public record and searchable online.
No late submissions. Miss the deadline or try to switch from in-person to virtual after it closes, and you’re out.
Need help? You don’t have to figure this out alone. If you have questions or run into issues submitting testimony, reach out to Elizabeth Bobo atebobo@mddclabor.org.
Upcoming Events
Labor Legislative Lobbying Meeting
🗓 Monday, February 23
🕔 5:00 PM
📍 Maryland State & DC AFL-CIO 7 School Street, Annapolis, MD 21401
Union Night in Annapolis 🗓 Monday, March 9 📍 Maryland State House All affiliates are strongly encouraged to attend and bring as many members as possible. Union Night is about visibility, solidarity, and reminding state decision-makers exactly who working people are—and how many of us there are.
Legislative Hearings & Key Dates 🗓 Ongoing throughout the session Stay in-the-know with hearings, deadlines, and important legislative moments by checking our online calendar. It is updated daily with the most up-to-date information we have from the MGA website:
