# Maryland SB 0279: Baltimore City - Cigarettes, Other Tobacco Products, and Electronic Smoking Devices - Enforcement and Licensure

Maryland SB 0279, Baltimore City - Cigarettes, Other Tobacco Products, and Electronic Smoking Devices - Enforcement and Licensure, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Antonio Hayes (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-05-12 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 387) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0279-2026RS
- 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 0279
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Baltimore City - Cigarettes, Other Tobacco Products, and Electronic Smoking Devices - Enforcement and Licensure
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-19
- Last action: 2026-05-12, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 387
- Sponsor: Antonio Hayes (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Business Regulation, Applicants and Applications, Baltimore City, Cannabis -see also- CannDist; CannProd; Smok&Vap, Cigarettes -see also- Smoking&Vaping; Tobacco&Nicotine, Commerce and Business -see also- ElectrComm; ForeignTr; etc., Committees and Commissions, Comptroller, Crimes and Punishments -see also- Penalties and Sentnc; etc., Evaluations and Reviews, Fees -see also- Attys' Fees; Devt Fees & Taxes, Laws and Ordinances -see also- Pub Local Laws; Uniform Laws, Licenses -see also- AB Lic; Certifications; DrLic; Permits, Penalties and Sentences -see also- Death Penalty, Public Officials -see also- Atty Gen; Compt; Coun Admin; etc, Retail Sales, Revenue and Taxes -see also- (specific tax), Sales and Use Tax, Smoking and Vaping -see also- Cannabis; Cigs;Tobacco&Nic, Standards and Best Practices, Tobacco and Nicotine -see also- Cigarettes; Smk&Vap
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (137 yes, 35 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 5

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- No extra license to sell e‑cigarettes: benefit, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, if you already hold a Title 16 or 16.5 license, or are an affiliate, you may sell, make, or distribute e‑cigarettes without a separate Title 16.7 license. This applies only within the scope of your current license.
- Baltimore preapproval, fees, and one‑year pause: cost, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, you must get city licensure authorization before you apply for a county tobacco or e‑cigarette license in Baltimore City. The city may charge a fee and must run an approval or denial process based on legal compliance. The city sends 50% of authorization fees to the Comptr…
- Stronger city inspections for Baltimore retailers: cost, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, Baltimore City health enforcement officers can enter and inspect licensed tobacco and e‑cigarette retailers at reasonable times. They enforce state tobacco and e‑cigarette laws in the city. If they find a violation, the Executive Director can reprimand, suspend, or revoke…
- County tobacco license now $300: cost, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, you pay $300 for each county tobacco or e‑cigarette license application per location. From each fee, $25 goes to the Executive Director and $275 goes to the Maryland Department of Health, or to Montgomery County if the store is there. Those funds support enforcement of th…
- No single‑cigarette sales in Baltimore: mixed, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, licensed retailers in Baltimore City may not sell unpackaged cigarettes. Unpackaged means not in a sealed pack of 20 or more. City officers may inspect and report violations to the State’s Attorney. If an official citation is issued for the incident, the law bars a later…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Antonio Hayes (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-13 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 95 | 35 | 10 |
| 2026-04-10 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 42 | 0 | 2 |

## Actions (15)

- 2026-05-12: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 387
- 2026-04-13: Returned Passed (Senate)
- 2026-04-13: Third Reading Passed (95-35) (House)
- 2026-04-13: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (House)
- 2026-04-13: Favorable Report by Economic Matters (House)
- 2026-04-11: Rereferred to Economic Matters (House)
- 2026-04-11: Referred Rules and Executive Nominations (House)
- 2026-04-10: Third Reading Passed (42-0) (Senate)
- 2026-04-10: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-04-10: Floor Amendment {463622/1 (Senator McCray) Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-04-10: Floor Amendment {173825/1 (Senator Hayes) Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-04-10: Favorable with Amendments {323923/1 Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-04-10: Favorable with Amendments Report by Finance (Senate)
- 2026-01-21: Hearing 2/05 at 1:00 p.m. (Senate)
- 2026-01-19: First Reading Finance (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2026-05-12: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_387_sb0279t.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-04-10: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0279t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-01-19: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0279f.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_387_sb0279t.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0279t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0279f.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-SB0279-2026RS (as of 2026-10-19).