# Maryland SB 0094: Commercial Law - Earned Wage Access - Revisions

Maryland SB 0094, Commercial Law - Earned Wage Access - Revisions, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by no sponsor on record; status signed, last action 2026-04-28 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 170); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0094-2026RS
- As of: 2026-10-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maryland SB 0094
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Commercial Law - Earned Wage Access - Revisions
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-09-30
- Last action: 2026-04-28, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 170
- Sponsors: no sponsor on record
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Commercial Law - Consumer Protection, Commercial Law - Credit Regulation, Advertising, Age -see also- Age of Maj; Children; Elderly; Inf&Tod.; etc, Commerce and Business -see also- ElectrComm; ForeignTr; etc., Communications -see also- ElecComm; Intergov; etc., Consumer Protection, Disabilities, Discrimination, Ethics, Ethnic Affairs, Fees -see also- Attys' Fees; Devt Fees & Taxes, Finance Companies, Financial Institutions -see also- Banks; Credit Unions; etc., Gender -see also- Women, Gender Identity and Expression -see also- Gender; LGB; etc., Gifts, Immigrants and Citizenship -see also- Residency, Licenses -see also- AB Lic; Certifications; DrLic; Permits, Loans -see also- Credit; Mortgages; Scholarships&SFA, Marriage -see also- Spouses, Minors -see also- Age of Majority; Youth, Prices -see also- Consumer Price Index, Racial Matters -see also- Ethnic Affairs; Minorities, Reimbursements, Salaries and Compensation -see also- Overtime; Reimb. Rates, Solicitation, Standards and Best Practices, Time
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 2 (132 yes, 49 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 5

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Fairer access and truthful wage service ads: benefit, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, licensed and licensing-exempt earned wage access businesses cannot discriminate when granting or denying requests. Protected traits include race, color, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, marital status, and age. Denying a reques…
- Workers gain safeguards for early wage access: benefit, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, earned wage access providers cannot request or charge tips, or make access depend on tipping. Service contracts must explain that providers cannot solicit or keep tips or donations. Providers must offer at least one free option when offering a paid option or seeking a fee…
- Covered lenders cannot ask borrowers for tips: benefit, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, covered Maryland lenders cannot accept tips or offer borrowers the option to tip. They cannot suggest that tips affect loan approval or loan terms. A lender that receives a tip must return it in full within seven days to avoid the specified tipping violation. Lenders must…
- Wage providers gain limited penalty protection: cost, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, licensed and licensing-exempt earned wage access businesses gain limited protection from penalties. Their actions must follow specified written legal or regulatory guidance in good faith. Protection also covers reliance on forms or procedures approved in writing by both t…
- Wage access licensing requirement is repealed: mixed, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, Maryland repeals the section requiring earned wage access providers to hold a consumer loan license or qualify for an exemption. The repeal also removes that section's enforcement rules, lending-law exemptions, and rules for treating these services under other state laws.…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- (none)

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-13 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 100 | 36 | 4 |
| 2026-03-19 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 32 | 13 |   |

## Actions (14)

- 2026-04-28: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 170
- 2026-04-13: Returned Passed (Senate)
- 2026-04-13: Third Reading Passed (100-36) (House)
- 2026-04-11: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (House)
- 2026-04-11: Favorable Report by Economic Matters (House)
- 2026-03-24: Hearing 3/31 at 1:00 p.m. (House)
- 2026-03-20: Referred Economic Matters (House)
- 2026-03-19: Third Reading Passed (32-13) (Senate)
- 2026-03-17: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-03-17: Favorable with Amendments {383322/1 Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-03-16: Favorable with Amendments Report by Finance (Senate)
- 2026-01-20: Hearing 1/29 at 3:00 p.m. (Senate)
- 2026-01-14: First Reading Finance (Senate)
- 2025-09-30: Pre-filed (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2026-04-28: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_170_sb0094t.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-03-17: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0094t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-01-14: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0094f.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_170_sb0094t.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0094t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0094f.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-SB0094-2026RS (as of 2026-10-11).