# Maryland HB 0228: Horse Racing - Prohibited Acts - Slaughter of Racehorses for Commercial Purposes

Maryland HB 0228, Horse Racing - Prohibited Acts - Slaughter of Racehorses for Commercial Purposes, is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by no sponsor on record; status signed, last action 2026-04-14 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 83); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0228-2026RS
- As of: 2026-10-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maryland HB 0228
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Horse Racing - Prohibited Acts - Slaughter of Racehorses for Commercial Purposes
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-09-17
- Last action: 2026-04-14, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 83
- Sponsors: no sponsor on record
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Horse Racing, Agriculture, Department of, Commerce and Business -see also- ElectrComm; ForeignTr; etc., Committees and Commissions, Death -see also- Homicide; Murder; Wrongful Death, Fines -see also- Penalties and Sentences, Gaming and Gambling, Horses, Licenses -see also- AB Lic; Certifications; DrLic; Permits, Racing, Records -see also- Land Records; Vital Records, Revenue and Taxes -see also- (specific tax), Rules and Regulations, Sports and Recreation
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 2 (170 yes, 2 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Fines go to state racing fund: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, fines collected for these violations flow into the Racing Commission’s Special Fund. The fund uses the money under its existing rules.
- Penalties and license risks for violators: cost, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, an individual who violates the law commits a misdemeanor. A first offense can bring up to a $1,000 fine, up to 1 year in jail, or both. A later offense can bring up to a $2,000 fine, up to 1 year in jail, or both. A business faces a fine up to $2,500 for a first offense and…
- New rules on racehorse slaughter and sales: mixed, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, no one may slaughter a racehorse in Maryland for any commercial purpose, including for people or animals to eat. You also may not buy, sell, transfer, import, or transport a racehorse if you know or should know it will be commercially slaughtered. The law defines a racehorse…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- (none)

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-08 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 43 | 0 | 2 |
| 2026-03-04 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 127 | 2 | 4 |

## Actions (13)

- 2026-04-14: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 83
- 2026-04-08: Returned Passed (House)
- 2026-04-08: Third Reading Passed (43-0) (Senate)
- 2026-04-01: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (Senate)
- 2026-04-01: Favorable Report by Budget and Taxation (Senate)
- 2026-03-05: Referred Budget and Taxation (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Third Reading Passed (127-2) (House)
- 2026-03-03: Second Reading Passed (House)
- 2026-03-03: Favorable Adopted (House)
- 2026-03-03: Favorable Report by Appropriations (House)
- 2026-01-16: Hearing 1/27 at 1:00 p.m. (House)
- 2026-01-14: First Reading Appropriations (House)
- 2025-09-17: Pre-filed (House)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2026-04-14: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_83_hb0228t.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-03-03: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0228t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-01-14: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0228f.pdf)

## Related bills

- SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - Authorization (became law)
- SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishment (became law)
- SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law)
- SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-1 Specialists Act) (became law)
- SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits (became law)
- HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law)

## Sources
- [Enacted (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_83_hb0228t.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0228t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0228f.pdf)

## Related
- [SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - A…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0496-2026RS)
- [SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishm…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0366-2026RS)
- [SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0244-2026RS)
- [SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0148-2026RS)
- [SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0016-2026RS)
- [HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0529-2026RS)
- [Maryland bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland/bills)
- [Maryland state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0228-2026RS (as of 2026-10-11).