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Read. Follow. Verify.Maryland mandates criminal history background checks for multiple health occupation boards
Last action · May 12, 2026: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 371Sponsors: Pam Beidle and 9 others
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What This Bill Does
Maryland enacts a law requiring applicants and certain existing licensees across multiple health occupation boards to submit to state and national criminal history records checks, including fingerprinting. The legislation establishes uniform confidentiality, contestation, and continuous update rules for criminal record information across these boards, taking effect June 1, 2026.
Practitioners in fields such as acupuncture, dentistry, dietetics, funeral direction, nursing, optometry, pharmacy, physical therapy, podiatry, and psychology must undergo fingerprint-based background checks for initial licensure, renewal, or , establishing a uniform screening standard across Maryland health boards.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Health Occupation Licensees and Applicants
Practitioners and applicants across multiple health boards must submit to state and national criminal history records checks, fingerprinting, and ongoing record updates.
State Health Occupation Boards
Regulatory boards are required to incorporate criminal history checks into their application, renewal, and reinstatement processes, and must evaluate record information before issuing licenses.
Criminal Justice Information System Central Repository
The Central Repository must process fingerprint submissions, conduct state and national checks, forward record information to boards and applicants, and provide revised information if new records are reported.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which health occupation boards are affected by this legislation?
What is required as part of the criminal history records check application?
Can background check information be shared or redisseminated?
When does this law take effect?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
13 actions- May 12, 2026Governor of MarylandEnrolledApproved by the Governor - Chapter 371
- Apr 9, 2026SenateFloorReturned Passed
- Apr 8, 2026HouseFloorThird Reading Passed (134-0)
- Apr 8, 2026HouseFloorFavorable Adopted Second Reading Passed
- Apr 8, 2026HouseCommitteeFavorable Report by Health
- Mar 23, 2026HouseHearing 4/01 at 1:00 p.m. (Health)
Show 7 earlier actions
- Mar 20, 2026HouseCommitteeReferred Health Judiciary
- Mar 19, 2026SenateFloorThird Reading Passed (45-0)
- Mar 17, 2026SenateFloorSecond Reading Passed with Amendments
- Mar 17, 2026SenateFavorable with Amendments { 673623/1 Adopted
- Mar 16, 2026SenateCommitteeFavorable with Amendments Report by Finance
- 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
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Standardization of Background Checks Across Health Boards
The legislation systematically amends multiple distinct health occupation titles in Maryland law to align criminal history records check requirements, fingerprint submissions, and confidentiality rules.
Connected Entities
Sources
mgaleg.maryland.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance85How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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