# Maryland SB 0325: Land Use - Permitting - Development Rights (Maryland Housing Certainty Act)

Maryland SB 0325, Land Use - Permitting - Development Rights (Maryland Housing Certainty Act), is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Malcolm Augustine (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-05-26 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 590) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0325-2026RS
- 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 0325
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Land Use - Permitting - Development Rights (Maryland Housing Certainty Act)
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-22
- Last action: 2026-05-26, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 590
- Sponsor: Malcolm Augustine (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Housing and Community Development, Local Government - Generally, Administrative Agencies, Applicants and Applications, Baltimore City, Certifications, Chartered Counties -see also- AACo; BCo; CecilCo; etc., Code Counties -see also- AllegCo; CarolineCo; ChsCo; etc., Committees and Commissions, Community Development, Construction, Development Fees and Taxes, Evaluations and Reviews, Excise Tax, Fees -see also- Attys' Fees; Devt Fees & Taxes, Health -see also- COVID19; EnvHlth; MedCon; etc., Housing -see also- Apartments; Condos; Mobile & Manuf Homes, Inspections -see also- Motor Vehicle Inspection, Jurisdiction, Laws and Ordinances -see also- Pub Local Laws; Uniform Laws, Local Government Mandates, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Permits -see also- Building Permits, Plans and Proposals, Real Estate -see also- Agents and Brokers, Registration -see also- Motor Vehicle Registration, Residential Property -see also- Apartments; Condominiums, Rules and Regulations, Safety -see also- Occupational Safety, Time, Zoning and Planning
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 3 (176 yes, 46 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Five-year development rights for housing projects: benefit, high. Beginning 2026-10-01, once you secure all required approvals, your housing project’s rights are vested for at least five years. A local agency can set a longer period. In a phased plan, any phase with 25 or more homes counts as its own project for vesting. Local approval deadlines can still expire,…
- Predictable rules and 30-day housing review: benefit, medium. Beginning 2026-10-01, a local agency must decide within 30 days if your housing application is complete and tell you the date. If it does not notify you within 35 days, your application is treated as complete. If incomplete, the agency must list what is missing and give time to fix it. The rules th…
- Later payment, stricter enforcement of development fees: mixed, high. Beginning 2026-10-01, counties and towns that charge development excise taxes or impact fees on homes must follow new timing rules. They may collect the fee after construction is complete and all occupancy requirements are met, or as a precondition to the final inspection, but not more than 30 days…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Malcolm Augustine (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-10 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 106 | 29 | 3 |
| 2026-04-10 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 35 | 7 | 2 |
| 2026-03-19 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 35 | 10 |   |

## Actions (20)

- 2026-05-26: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 590
- 2026-04-10: Passed Enrolled (Senate)
- 2026-04-10: Third Reading Passed (35-7) (Senate)
- 2026-04-10: Senate Concurs House Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-04-10: Third Reading Passed (106-29) (House)
- 2026-04-08: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (House)
- 2026-04-08: Favorable with Amendments {273225/1 Adopted (House)
- 2026-04-08: 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 (35-10) (Senate)
- 2026-03-18: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-03-18: Favorable with Amendments {713328/1 Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-03-16: Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate)
- 2026-01-23: Hearing 2/17 at 1:00 p.m. (Senate)
- 2026-01-22: First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2026-05-26: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_590_sb0325e.pdf)
- Enrolled, 2026-04-10: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0325e.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-03-18: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0325t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-01-22: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0325f.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_590_sb0325e.pdf)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0325e.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0325t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0325f.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0325-2026RS (as of 2026-10-19).