# Maryland SB 0012: Residential Rental Apartments - Air-Conditioning Requirement

Maryland SB 0012, Residential Rental Apartments - Air-Conditioning Requirement, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Chris West (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-05-26 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 664) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0012-2026RS
- As of: 2026-10-19
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maryland SB 0012
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Residential Rental Apartments - Air-Conditioning Requirement
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-10-20
- Last action: 2026-05-26, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 664
- Sponsor: Chris West (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Housing and Community Development, Real Property, Apartments, Building Maintenance and Repair, Building Permits, Construction, Heating and Cooling, Landlords and Tenants, Leases and Rent
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 3 (169 yes, 56 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Landlords must provide AC each summer: mixed, high. The law requires landlords in covered apartment buildings to provide air-conditioning. Beginning June 1, 2026, new units must have AC. By June 1, 2026, any unit that had AC added or provided on or after January 1, 2025, or where a lease required the landlord to provide AC, must have AC. Beginning O…
- Only 10+ unit buildings covered: mixed, medium. The AC rule applies only to apartment buildings with 10 or more units starting June 1, 2026. Units on properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places are exempt. It also excludes certain Housing Authority of Baltimore City properties: developments built from 1940 through 1950 and rowh…
- State AC standard overrides local rules: mixed, medium. Starting June 1, 2026, the State’s AC rules control. Local governments cannot enforce air-conditioning standards that conflict with this law. This creates one statewide standard and blocks inconsistent local requirements.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Chris West (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-13 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 101 | 34 | 4 |
| 2026-04-13 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 35 | 11 | 1 |
| 2026-03-19 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 33 | 11 | 1 |

## Actions (21)

- 2026-05-26: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 664
- 2026-04-13: Passed Enrolled (Senate)
- 2026-04-13: Third Reading Passed (35-11) (Senate)
- 2026-04-13: Senate Concurs House Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-04-13: Third Reading Passed (101-34) (House)
- 2026-04-09: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (House)
- 2026-04-09: Favorable with Amendments {393224/1 Adopted (House)
- 2026-04-09: Favorable with Amendments Report by Economic Matters (House)
- 2026-04-02: Hearing 4/02 at 2:30 p.m. (House)
- 2026-04-02: Hearing canceled (House)
- 2026-04-02: Hearing 4/02 at 1:30 p.m. (House)
- 2026-04-02: Hearing canceled (House)
- 2026-03-24: Hearing 4/02 at 1:00 p.m. (House)
- 2026-03-20: Referred Economic Matters (House)
- 2026-03-19: Third Reading Passed (33-11) (Senate)
- 2026-03-18: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-03-18: Favorable with Amendments {293522/1 Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-03-18: Favorable with Amendments Report by Judicial Proceedings (Senate)
- 2026-01-14: First Reading Judicial Proceedings (Senate)
- 2026-01-13: Hearing 1/20 at 1:00 p.m. (Senate)
- 2025-10-20: Pre-filed (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2026-05-26: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_664_sb0012e.pdf)
- Enrolled, 2026-04-13: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0012e.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-03-18: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0012t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-01-14: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0012f.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_664_sb0012e.pdf)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0012e.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0012t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0012f.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-SB0012-2026RS (as of 2026-10-19).