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Read. Follow. Verify.Maryland Senate Bill 663 Requires Nursing Homes to Spend 75% of Revenue on Direct Care Staff Wages and Submit Annual Reports
Last action · February 12, 2026: Hearing 3/03 at 1:00 p.m.Sponsors: Ben Kramer and 2 others
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What This Bill Would Do
Maryland nursing homes must spend at least 75% of their total nursing and residential care revenue on for nursing, dietary, restorative therapy, and social work staff starting October 1, 2026. Facilities must also submit an annual cost report documenting wage disbursements to the Maryland Department of Health starting September 1, 2027.
Directs a mandatory minimum share of facility revenue toward frontline worker compensation and imposes state regulatory oversight with potential penalties including program suspension for non-compliant nursing homes.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Nursing homes
Nursing homes must allocate at least 75% of relevant revenue to direct care wages and benefits, submit annual verified cost reports, and face potential enforcement actions or program termination for non-compliance.
Direct care staff
Nursing, dietary, restorative therapy, and social worker staff are covered by mandatory minimum wage and benefit expenditure thresholds.
Maryland Department of Health
The Department is tasked with receiving cost reports, determining appropriate reporting contents, and enforcing compliance.
Key Facts
- Nursing homes must spend at least 75% of total nursing and residential care revenue on direct care wages and benefits.
- Direct care wages and benefits include nursing, dietary, restorative therapy, and social worker staff.
- Nursing homes must submit an annual cost report to the Maryland Department of Health on or before September 1 each year, beginning in 2027.
- Cost reports must include documentation of wage disbursement and any other information the Department determines is appropriate.
Show all 8 facts
- Cost reports must be signed by an authorized representative of the nursing home under penalty of perjury.
- The Department may take enforcement action if a nursing home fails to submit a report, submits an inaccurate report, or fails to pay required wages.
- Enforcement actions include imposing a corrective plan and suspension or termination from the Maryland Medical Assistance Program.
- The Act takes effect October 1, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What staff members are included under direct care wages and benefits?
When must nursing homes start submitting cost reports?
What penalties can nursing homes face for non-compliance?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently filed. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Committee.
Procedural history
2 actions- Feb 12, 2026SenateHearing 3/03 at 1:00 p.m.
- Feb 6, 2026SenateIntroducedFirst Reading Finance
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Connected Entities
Sources
mgaleg.maryland.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy60Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz35Current news / social attention level
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