All Roll Calls
Yes: 317 • No: 4
MarylandHB 01762025 Regular SessionHouseWALLET
Davis Martinez Public Employee Safety and Health Act
Sponsored By: Jared Solomon (Democratic)
Signed by Governor
Private Sector Labor and IndustryLocal Government - GenerallyMunicipalitiesCorrectionsAttorney GeneralCitationsCivil OffensesCollective BargainingCommittees and CommissionsCommunications -see also- ElecComm; Intergov; Telecom; etc.Correctional Institutions -see also- Patuxent InstitutionCorrectional OfficersData -see also- Census; DemographicsElectronic CommunicationElectronic GovernmentElectronic Surveillance -see also- WiretappingEquipment -see also- Charging; Med. Equip.; MV Equip; etc.Fines -see also- Penalties and SentencesGunsHealth -see also- COVID19; EnvHlth; MedCon; etc.Inspections -see also- Motor Vehicle InspectionJob Training -see also- Continuing Ed; Vocational RehabLabor and Industry, Division ofMeetings -see also- Hearings; Open GovernmentMotor Vehicles -see also- Aband Veh; Ambulances; Buses; etc.NoticesOccupational SafetyPenalties and Sentences -see also- Death PenaltyPrivacyPublic Buildings and Facilities -see also- Stadiums; St HsePublic Employees -see also- State EmployeesPublic Officials -see also- Atty Gen; Compt; Coun Admin; etcRecordings -see also- VideoRecords -see also- Land Records; Vital RecordsReportsRevenue and Taxes -see also- (specific tax)Rules and RegulationsSafety -see also- Occupational SafetyStandards and Best PracticesState EmployeesStorageThreatsVideoViolence -see also- Domestic Violence; Hate CrimesWarrantsWeapons -see also- GunsWork, Labor, and Employment -see also- JobTrn; Leave; etc.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
11 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 1 costs, 5 mixed.
Broader safety oversight for public workers
Beginning October 1, 2025, Maryland creates a Public Employees’ Safety and Health Unit within the Division of Labor and Industry. Coverage expands to more public bodies and workers, including school districts and public or partly public corporations. Public bodies must provide safe workplaces, run self-inspection programs, keep records, and submit required reports. The Unit must conduct routine and random inspections without advance notice, giving priority to workplaces with more complaints or citations. The Attorney General must speed up warrant reviews, and the safety board must recommend higher standards when warranted.
Public workers get safety reports and citations
Beginning October 1, 2025, public bodies must annually make the Commissioner’s safety report and prior-year citations available to employees. Employees affected by a citation must also have access to a copy, though email delivery is not required. Citations against public bodies outside State government must go to their chief executive and legislative oversight bodies. When the Commissioner requests enforcement of a decision, order, or penalty, the Attorney General must notify affected employees and their representatives. The Governor, Senate President, and House Speaker must also receive notice.
Public employers must track workplace injuries
Beginning October 1, 2025, the Commissioner must adopt rules requiring public bodies to keep accurate workplace injury records. Records must cover work-related deaths, illnesses, qualifying injuries, and other employer activities needed for safety information. Minor injuries are excluded only when they require first aid alone. They must also involve no loss of consciousness, medical treatment, work or motion limits, or job transfer.
Violence prevention rules for public workers
The law requires workplace-violence prevention rules for public bodies by October 1, 2026. Workplace violence includes acts or threats, including those involving weapons, but excludes lawful self-defense. The Commissioner must consult the safety board and consider federal workplace-safety and health recommendations. Before adopting rules, the Commissioner must hold at least 4 meetings with certified exclusive employee representatives. Public input meetings must also take place in at least 4 geographically diverse Maryland locations.
Public employer fines fund apprenticeship training
Beginning October 1, 2025, civil penalty revenue from public bodies under Maryland’s labor law goes to a special fund. That money supports only the Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Program instead of going to the General Fund. Available funding depends on penalties collected; the law states no dollar amount.
Commissioner’s required self-inspection monitoring duty ends
Beginning October 1, 2025, the law removes the Commissioner’s separate duty to monitor each public body’s self-inspection program. Public bodies must still carry out their required self-inspections. This change removes that specific oversight duty, not the new Unit’s inspection program.
Correctional body cameras get privacy safeguards
The Correctional Training Commission must adopt local correctional body-camera rules by January 1, 2026, covering use, training, storage, access, release, and privacy. Local facilities need not use cameras; adopting facilities need written policies consistent with those rules and subject to collective bargaining. On duty, correctional officers may record conversations they join using body cameras or qualifying electronic control devices. Officers must show identification, reasonably follow device standards, and give prompt notice unless unsafe, impractical, or impossible; recordings must include video or digital recording. Missing notice to a later participant does not bar evidence when proper notice was already given to the ongoing discussion.
Public employers face workplace safety penalties
Beginning October 1, 2025, public bodies are no longer broadly excluded from the law’s workplace-safety penalties. This increases public employers’ financial exposure and strengthens consequences for safety violations. This provision does not state penalty amounts.
Some public employer safety penalties end
Beginning October 1, 2025, the law removes several specific penalties affecting public bodies. The former citation-posting penalty was $500 daily for the first 30 days after notice, then $1,000 daily. The law also ends special unpaid-penalty notices after 30 days and increases of up to 5 times the original penalty. Those increases previously could occur within 75 days after a penalty became final. Publicly owned elevators are exempt from specified elevator-safety and workplace-safety penalties, reducing costs but removing those enforcement tools.
Specified employer accident reporting duties end
Beginning October 1, 2025, the law removes specified duties to give workplace-safety records to the Commissioner and report serious accidents. The repealed rule required an oral report within 8 hours after an employee died or at least 3 employees were hospitalized. Employers lose these specific reporting duties, while safety officials lose those required sources of timely information.
Specified false safety document penalties end
Beginning October 1, 2025, the law removes specified misdemeanor penalties for knowingly submitting false workplace-safety documents. Covered documents include applications, plans, records, and reports. It also removes specified enhanced misdemeanor penalties for people holding public office or positions of profit or trust. This reduces criminal exposure but removes those deterrents against false safety information.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Jared Solomon
Democratic • House
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 4/7/2025
Third Reading Passed
Yes: 138 • No: 0 • Other: 2
Senate vote • 4/4/2025
Third Reading Passed
Yes: 44 • No: 0
House vote • 3/13/2025
Third Reading Passed
Yes: 135 • No: 4 • Other: 1
Actions Timeline
Approved by the Governor - Chapter 609
5/20/2025Passed Enrolled
4/7/2025HouseThird Reading Passed (138-0)
4/7/2025HouseHouse Concurs Senate Amendments
4/7/2025HouseThird Reading Passed (44-0)
4/4/2025SenateSecond Reading Passed with Amendments
4/4/2025SenateFavorable with Amendments {313124/1 Adopted
4/4/2025SenateFavorable with Amendments Report by Finance
4/4/2025SenateHearing 3/25 at 1:00 p.m.
3/18/2025SenateReferred Finance
3/17/2025SenateThird Reading Passed (135-4)
3/13/2025HouseSecond Reading Passed with Amendments
3/12/2025HouseFavorable with Amendments {103424/1 Adopted
3/12/2025HouseMotion Special Order until End Of This Calendar (Delegate Barnes) Adopted
3/12/2025HouseFavorable with Amendments {103424/1
3/12/2025HouseFavorable with Amendments Report by Appropriations
3/12/2025HouseHearing 2/18 at 1:00 p.m.
2/8/2025HouseFirst Reading Appropriations
1/8/2025HousePre-filed
10/31/2024House
Bill Text
Enacted
5/20/2025
Enrolled
4/7/2025
Third Reading
3/12/2025
First Reading
1/8/2025
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