EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1038*
HOUSE BILL 1038
P1, L6 5lr1934
CF SB 496
By: Delegates Vogel and Stonko
Introduced and read first time: February 5, 2025
Assigned to: Economic Matters and Health and Government Operations
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Department of Commerce – Complaint Portal and Annual Report 2
FOR the purpose of requiring the Department of Commerce to create and maintain a 3
complaint portal for reporting when a governmental unit takes longer than a certain 4
period of time to process a certain application for a license, form, certificate, 5
certification, permit, or registration; requiring the Department to submit an annual 6
report to certain committees of the General Assembly on the complaints submitted 7
to the portal; and generally relating to the Department of Commerce. 8
BY adding to 9
Article – Economic Development 10
Section 2.5–110 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 13
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 14
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 15
Article – Economic Development 16
2.5–110. 17
(A) IN THIS SECTION, “GOVERNMENTAL UNIT” MEANS: 18
(1) A COUNTY; 19
(2) A MUNICIPAL CORPORAT ION; 20
(3) A STATE UNIT; 21
2 HOUSE BILL 1038
(4) A LOCAL UNIT; OR 1
(5) ANY OTHER PUBLIC BOD Y OR UNIT ESTABLISHE D IN ACCORDANCE 2
WITH A STATE OR LOCAL LAW , ORDINANCE, OR RESOLUTION . 3
(B) (1) SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION , THE 4
DEPARTMENT SHALL CREATE AND MAINTAIN A PORTAL ON THE DEPARTMENT ’S 5
WEBSITE THAT THE PUBLIC MAY USE TO FILE A COMPLA INT IF A GOVERNMENTA L 6
UNIT TAKES LONGER THAN 60 DAYS TO PROCESS A N APPLICATION FOR A LICENSE, 7
FORM, CERTIFICATE, CERTIFICATION , PERMIT, OR REGISTRATION FOR A BUSINESS 8
OR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION . 9
(2) A PERSON MAY NOT FILE A COMPLAINT ON THE P ORTAL CREATED 10
AND MAINTAINED UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION I F A STATE OR 11
LOCAL LAW, AN ORDINANCE, OR A RESOLUTION EXPLICITLY AUTHORIZE S THE 12
GOVERNMENTAL UNIT AGAINST WHICH THE CO MPLAINT WOULD HAVE B EEN FILED 13
TO TAKE LONGER THAN 60 DAYS TO PROCESS THE APPLICATION. 14
(C) (1) ON OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 15, 2025, AND EACH SEPTEMBER 15 15
THEREAFTER , THE DEPARTMENT SHALL SUBM IT A REPORT ON THE COMPLAINTS 16
FILED THROUGH THE PORTAL D ESCRIBED UNDER SUBSE CTION (B) OF THIS 17
SECTION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, 18
TO THE SENATE BUDGET AND TAXATION COMMITTEE AND THE HOUSE WAYS AND 19
MEANS COMMITTEE. 20
(2) THE REPORT REQUIRED UNDER PARAG RAPH (1) OF THIS 21
SUBSECTION SHALL IDENTIFY, WITH RESPECT TO EACH COMPLAINT RECEIVED 22
DURING THE PRECEDING FISCAL YEAR, THE GOVERNMENTAL UNIT RESPONSIBLE 23
FOR THE LICENSE , FORM, CERTIFICATE, CERTIFICATION , PERMIT, OR 24
REGISTRATION . 25
(3) IN REPORTING THE DAT A REQUIRED UNDER THIS SUBSECTION, 26
THE DEPARTMENT SHALL MAKE REASONABLE EFFORTS T O ANONYMIZE THE DATA 27
TO PROTECT THE PRIVA CY OF THE BUSINESS O R NONPROFIT ORGANIZA TION TO 28
WHICH THE COMPLAINT IS RELATED. 29
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 30
1, 2025. 31