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Read. Follow. Verify.Maryland exempts Washington County mobile and semipermanent food vendors from toilet and lavatory mandates
Last action · April 28, 2026: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 350
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What This Bill Does
Senate Bill 714 exempts mobile food service facilities and semipermanent food service facilities located in Washington County from state requirements to maintain an onsite toilet and . The law takes effect on October 1, 2026.
Food vendors operating mobile units or transported structures in Washington County no longer face legal mandates to install specific plumbing fixtures, potentially lowering operating compliance hurdles for local food trucks and carts.
- State food establishment regulations in Maryland typically require food service facilities to provide convenient, sanitary, and properly ventilated toilets and lavatories for staff and patrons. context
- Washington County is located in Western Maryland and local delegation members frequently introduce localized statutory adjustments to state health codes. context
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Mobile food service facility operators
Operators of mobile food vehicles in Washington County are no longer subject to mandatory toilet and lavatory installation requirements.
Semipermanent food service facility operators
Operators of transported semipermanent food units in Washington County are exempted from statutory toilet and lavatory rules.
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 food facilities are affected by this law in Washington County?
Do mobile food vendors in Washington County still need to provide customer restrooms under this law?
When does this new exemption 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- Apr 28, 2026Governor of MarylandEnrolledApproved by the Governor - Chapter 350
- Apr 8, 2026SenateFloorReturned Passed
- Apr 7, 2026HouseFloorThird Reading Passed (137-0)
- Apr 3, 2026HouseFloorFavorable Adopted Second Reading Passed
- Apr 3, 2026HouseCommitteeFavorable Report by Health
- Mar 24, 2026HouseHearing 3/31 at 1:00 p.m.
Show 7 earlier actions
- Mar 21, 2026HouseCommitteeReferred Health
- Mar 20, 2026SenateFloorThird Reading Passed (42-0)
- Mar 19, 2026SenateFloorSecond Reading Passed
- Mar 19, 2026SenateFloorFavorable Adopted
- Mar 19, 2026SenateCommitteeFavorable Report by Finance
- Feb 12, 2026SenateHearing 3/12 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.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Local Sanitary Exemption for Mobile Vendors
The legislation carves out a specific geographic and facility-based exception from statewide health and sanitation facility mandates.
Connected Entities
Sources
mgaleg.maryland.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance35How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy10Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz15Current news / social attention level
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