# Maryland SB 0231: Horse Racing - Prohibited Acts - Slaughter of Racehorses for Commercial Purposes

Maryland SB 0231, Horse Racing - Prohibited Acts - Slaughter of Racehorses for Commercial Purposes, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by no sponsor on record; status signed, last action 2026-04-14 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 84); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0231-2026RS
- 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 0231
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Horse Racing - Prohibited Acts - Slaughter of Racehorses for Commercial Purposes
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-09-17
- Last action: 2026-04-14, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 84
- 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 (171 yes, 8 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Fines, jail, and license loss for violators: cost, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, violating these rules is a misdemeanor. For individuals: first offense carries a fine up to $1,000 or up to 1 year in jail, or both. Second or later offenses carry a fine up to $2,000 or up to 1 year in jail, or both. For corporations or other entities: fines are up to $2,50…
- Ban on commercial racehorse slaughter and sales: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, Maryland bans commercial slaughter of racehorses. You also may not buy, sell, transfer, import, or transport a racehorse if you know or should know it will be slaughtered for a commercial purpose, including for human or animal food. A racehorse includes horses bred or intend…
- Fines fund racing programs and new rules: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, fines from violations go to the state’s Racing Special Fund for the uses allowed by law. The Maryland Racing Commission, working with the Department of Agriculture, must adopt regulations to carry out the ban and penalties.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- (none)

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-08 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 126 | 8 | 2 |
| 2026-03-18 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 45 | 0 | 1 |

## Actions (14)

- 2026-04-14: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 84
- 2026-04-09: Returned Passed (Senate)
- 2026-04-08: Third Reading Passed (126-8) (House)
- 2026-04-07: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (House)
- 2026-04-07: Favorable Report by Appropriations (House)
- 2026-03-21: Hearing 3/25 at 1:00 p.m. (House)
- 2026-03-18: Referred Appropriations (House)
- 2026-03-18: Third Reading Passed (45-0) (Senate)
- 2026-03-13: Second Reading Passed (Senate)
- 2026-03-13: Favorable Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-03-13: Favorable Report by Budget and Taxation (Senate)
- 2026-01-15: Hearing 1/21 at 10:00 a.m. (Senate)
- 2026-01-14: First Reading Budget and Taxation (Senate)
- 2025-09-17: Pre-filed (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2026-04-14: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_84_sb0231t.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-03-13: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0231t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-01-14: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0231f.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_84_sb0231t.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0231t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0231f.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-SB0231-2026RS (as of 2026-10-19).