Maryland Votes

Establishes the Federal Government Employee Assistance Loan Fund, expanding it to provide no-interest loans to federal employees unpaid due to a government shutdown, terminated due to closures, relocations, layoffs, or financial hardship.

Prohibits influencing or attempting to influence a voter's decision to cast a vote for a candidate or ballot issue with "synthetic media," to falsely depict a person with "false intent."

Establishes the Public Health Abortion Grant Program to provide funds for health care practitioners and organizations to provide access to abortion services.

Extends the Minority Business Enterprise Program's termination date, while postponing deadlines for reports evaluating "compliance with federal and constitutional" requirements, and mandating "race and gender-neutral" approaches to support minority and women-owned businesses.

Establishes the Maryland Reparations Commission to study and recommend benefits for descendants of individuals enslaved in Maryland or impacted by inequitable government policies.

Requires federal firearms licensees or law enforcement agencies operating gun buyback programs to destroy all firearms, ensuring they are permanently inoperable and unrepairable, with the intent to reduce the number of firearms owned in a community.

Makes the Growing Family Child Care Opportunities Pilot Program a permanent program within the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE).

Amends the principles of public higher education in the state to emphasize a commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion.

Expands the scope of the Catastrophic Event Account and the Federal Government Shutdown Employee Assistance Loan Fund to provide financial assistance to non-civilian federal employees.

Proposed increasing the sales-and-use tax on firearms, firearm accessories, and ammunition from 6% to 11%.

Requires each community college to develop and implement a plan by August 1, 2025, to provide students with access to over-the-counter contraception on campus.

Expands the definition of "legally protected health care" to include gender-affirming treatments.

Establishes the Commission on Hate Crime Response and Prevention to "develop strategies to prevent and respond to hate crime activity" and "evaluate State laws and policies."

Proclaims October 5 annually as Dashain Day, codifying into law a Hindu religious festival in honor of Durga, the Universal Mother Goddess.

Directs the Maryland State Police Gun Center to track all firearms surrendered under final protective orders and creates a statewide database for law enforcement agencies to report information on individuals who surrender firearms.

Proposes to amend the Maryland Constitution to declare a "fundamental right" to "reproductive freedom," including but not limited to the ability to "prevent, continue, or end one's own pregnancy."

Requires Medicaid, under the "Trans Health Equity Act," to provide coverage for "gender-affirming treatment" to all "transgender, nonbinary, intersex, two-spirit, and other gender diverse individuals."

Authorizes a family court to grant an "absolute divorce" on the grounds of either a six-month separation between the parties or "irreconcilable differences" based on reasons stated by the complainant.

Establishes the Abortion Care Clinical Training Program in the Maryland Department of Health to ensure that there are a sufficient number of health professionals, training funds, and coverage requirements for the Maryland Medical Assistance Program to provide abortion care.

Prohibits the possession of unserialized firearms, "ghost guns" or "privately made firearms", and prohibits a person from purchasing, receiving, selling, offering to sell, or transferring an unfinished frame, receiver and custom made and unserialized firearms.

Creates a "Sanctuary State" by eliminating Immigration Enforcement.

Requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to report to the General Assembly and the Governor on the efforts by the State, political subdivisions, and housing authorities to promote fair housing choice and racial and economic housing integration.

Requires a local board of elections to designate the locations of ballot drop boxes. It also requires for a permanent absentee ballot list.

Requires the State to reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissions by 60% from 2006 levels by 2030 and requires the State to achieve net-zero statewide greenhouse gas emissions by 2045, along with other green initiatives.