# Maryland SB 0653: State Board of Architects - Grounds for Discipline and Anonymous Complaints

Maryland SB 0653, State Board of Architects - Grounds for Discipline and Anonymous Complaints, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Cheryl C. Kagan (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-28 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 245) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0653-2026RS
- 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 0653
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: State Board of Architects - Grounds for Discipline and Anonymous Complaints
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-02-06
- Last action: 2026-04-28, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 245
- Sponsor: Cheryl C. Kagan (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Business Occupations and Professions, Architects and Architecture, Building Codes, Building Permits, Commerce and Business -see also- ElectrComm; ForeignTr; etc., Committees and Commissions, Construction, Counties -see also- Chartered Counties; Code Counties; etc., Crimes and Punishments -see also- Penalties and Sentnc; etc., Discipline, Electronic Communication, Electronic Government, Ethics, Evaluations and Reviews, Licenses -see also- AB Lic; Certifications; DrLic; Permits, Notices, Penalties and Sentences -see also- Death Penalty, Permits -see also- Building Permits, Privacy, Reports, Standards and Best Practices, Work, Labor, and Employment -see also- JobTrn; Leave; etc.
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (174 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Architect credentials checked before building permits: benefit, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, code officials reviewing architectural plans for building-code compliance must check credentials before processing a permit. They must verify the signing architect’s seal and license directly with that architect. The Board must maintain a roster of licensed architects’ na…
- Stronger oversight and penalties for architects: mixed, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, Maryland’s State Board of Architects must take action when legal grounds for discipline are met. Actions include denying a license, reprimanding an architect, or suspending or revoking a license. Grounds include license or permit fraud, false claims of holding credentials…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Cheryl C. Kagan (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-08 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 129 | 0 | 6 |
| 2026-03-12 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 45 | 0 |   |

## Actions (12)

- 2026-04-28: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 245
- 2026-04-09: Returned Passed (Senate)
- 2026-04-08: Third Reading Passed (129-0) (House)
- 2026-04-08: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (House)
- 2026-04-08: Favorable Report by Economic Matters (House)
- 2026-03-13: Referred Economic Matters (House)
- 2026-03-12: Third Reading Passed (45-0) (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Favorable with Amendments {473023/1 Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Hearing 2/26 at 1:00 p.m. (Senate)
- 2026-02-06: First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2026-04-28: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_245_sb0653t.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-03-10: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0653t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-02-06: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0653f.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_245_sb0653t.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0653t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0653f.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-SB0653-2026RS (as of 2026-10-19).