# Maryland HB 0791: Somerset County - Property Tax - Emergency Services Tax

Maryland HB 0791, Somerset County - Property Tax - Emergency Services Tax, is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Otto; status signed, last action 2025-04-08 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 69); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0791-2025RS
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maryland HB 0791
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Somerset County - Property Tax - Emergency Services Tax
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-29
- Last action: 2025-04-08, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 69
- Sponsor: Otto
- Cosponsors: 2
- Subjects: Taxes - Property - Local, Counties - Local Laws, County Commissioners, Emergency Medical Services -see also- Ambul; RescSqd, Emergency Services -see also- Ambul; Emergencies; etc., Fire Protection, Hearings, Interest, Laws and Ordinances -see also- Pub Local Laws; Uniform Laws, Liens, Notices, Open Government, Property Tax, Rescue Squads -see also- Emergency Medical Serv, Somerset County, Tax Sales
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 2 (160 yes, 21 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Somerset County emergency tax requires public hearings: benefit, low. Before first imposing or later raising the emergency services tax, Somerset County commissioners must hold a public hearing. It must take place at the same time as the county’s annual budget hearing. The county must give advance public notice. This requirement takes effect June 1, 2025.
- Somerset County can add emergency services tax: cost, low. Somerset County commissioners can pass a county law adding an annual tax on all property subject to county property tax. The tax can pay all or part of fire, rescue, and emergency medical service costs. The state law takes effect June 1, 2025, and applies to taxable years beginning after June 30, 2…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Otto
- Cosponsor: Barry Beauchamp (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Wayne A. Hartman (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-03 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 44 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025-03-17 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 116 | 20 | 2 |

## Actions (12)

- 2025-04-08: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 69
- 2025-04-03: Returned Passed (House)
- 2025-04-03: Third Reading Passed (44-1) (Senate)
- 2025-04-02: Second Reading Passed (Senate)
- 2025-04-02: Favorable Adopted (Senate)
- 2025-04-02: Favorable Report by Budget and Taxation (Senate)
- 2025-03-17: Referred Budget and Taxation (Senate)
- 2025-03-17: Third Reading Passed (116-20) (House)
- 2025-03-14: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (House)
- 2025-03-14: Favorable Report by Ways and Means (House)
- 2025-02-04: Hearing 2/18 at 1:00 p.m. (House)
- 2025-01-29: First Reading Ways and Means (House)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2025-04-08: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/Chapters_noln/CH_69_hb0791t.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2025-03-14: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/hb/hb0791t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2025-01-29: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/hb/hb0791f.pdf)

## Related bills

- HB 0384: Maryland Disability Service Animal Program - Established (vetoed)
- SB 0227: Workers' Compensation - Payment From Uninsured Employers' Fund - Revisions (vetoed)
- HB 0482: Occupational Licensing and Certification - Criminal History - Predetermination Review Process (vetoed)
- SB 0157: Maryland Disability Service Animal Program - Established (vetoed)
- HB 1294: Commercial Law - Credit Regulation - Earned Wage Access and Credit Modernization (became law)
- HB 0228: Maryland Veterans Trust – Assistance to Members of the Maryland National Guard (signed)

## Sources
- [Enacted (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/Chapters_noln/CH_69_hb0791t.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/hb/hb0791t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/hb/hb0791f.pdf)

## Related
- [HB 0384: Maryland Disability Service Animal Program - Established](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0384-2025RS)
- [SB 0227: Workers' Compensation - Payment From Uninsured Employers' Fund - Revisions](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0227-2025RS)
- [HB 0482: Occupational Licensing and Certification - Criminal History - Predetermination…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0482-2025RS)
- [SB 0157: Maryland Disability Service Animal Program - Established](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0157-2025RS)
- [HB 1294: Commercial Law - Credit Regulation - Earned Wage Access and Credit Modernization](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB1294-2025RS)
- [HB 0228: Maryland Veterans Trust – Assistance to Members of the Maryland National Guard](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0228-2025RS)
- [Maryland bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland/bills)
- [Maryland state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0791-2025RS (as of 2026-10-17).