# Maryland SB 0130: Environment - Water - Individual Submeters

Maryland SB 0130, Environment - Water - Individual Submeters, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Shaneka Henson (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-28 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 261); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0130-2026RS
- 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 0130
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Environment - Water - Individual Submeters
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-10-30
- Last action: 2026-04-28, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 261
- Sponsor: Shaneka Henson (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Environment, Real Property, Apartments, Committees and Commissions, Condominiums, Consumer Protection, Counties -see also- Chartered Counties; Code Counties; etc., Disclosure, Environment, Department of the, Environmental Matters -see also- Conserv; Nat Resrce; Pollut, Equipment -see also- Charging; Med. Equip.; MV Equip; etc., Fees -see also- Attys' Fees; Devt Fees & Taxes, Housing and Community Development, Department of, Housing -see also- Apartments; Condos; Mobile & Manuf Homes, Landlords and Tenants, Leases and Rent, Mobile and Manufactured Homes, Notices, Prices -see also- Consumer Price Index, Public Works, Board of, Records -see also- Land Records; Vital Records, Sewage, Time, Utilities -see also- Recycl; Refuse; Sewage; Teleph; Water, Washington Suburban Sanitary District, Water -see also- Coastal Bays; Riv,Str,Lks; Wastewater; etc., Weights and Measures
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 2 (133 yes, 48 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 4

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Renters gain protections against faulty water meters: benefit, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, Maryland’s environment department must set submeter accuracy, testing, and recordkeeping rules with the state housing department. Standards must be at least as strict as those for water service providers’ meters. When an apartment submeter gives inadequate or inaccurate d…
- Tenants get advance water cost notices: benefit, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, landlords requiring third-party payments for submetered water or sewer must disclose that duty in a written lease. Tenants must receive each bill at least 20 days before payment is due. Before the initial lease begins, landlords must give written notice of the unit’s tota…
- Renters can check and challenge water bills: mixed, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, property owners, operators, managers, and hired contractors must keep submeter records, obtain other records needed to verify bills, and allow occupant inspection during reasonable business hours. Records must include provider charges for the preceding 2 years and monthly…
- Renters get usage-based bills with limits: mixed, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, housing authorities, property owners, operators, managers, and hired contractors can install individual water submeters in apartment or mobile home park units without direct meters. Housing authorities need approval from Maryland’s housing department and the Board of Publ…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Shaneka Henson (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-07 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 100 | 37 | 1 |
| 2026-03-23 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 33 | 11 |   |

## Actions (14)

- 2026-04-28: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 261
- 2026-04-08: Returned Passed (Senate)
- 2026-04-07: Third Reading Passed (100-37) (House)
- 2026-04-03: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (House)
- 2026-04-03: Favorable Report by Environment and Transportation (House)
- 2026-03-25: Hearing 4/02 at 1:00 p.m. (House)
- 2026-03-23: Referred Environment and Transportation (House)
- 2026-03-23: Third Reading Passed (33-11) (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: Favorable with Amendments {903321/1 Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate)
- 2026-01-16: Hearing 2/03 at 1:00 p.m. (Senate)
- 2026-01-14: First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate)
- 2025-10-30: Pre-filed (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2026-04-28: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_261_sb0130t.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-03-20: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0130t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-01-14: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0130f.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_261_sb0130t.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0130t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0130f.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-SB0130-2026RS (as of 2026-10-11).