EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
Italics indicate opposite chamber/conference committee amendments.
*sb0299*
SENATE BILL 299
A3, C3 (5lr1425)
ENROLLED BILL
— Finance/Economic Matters —
Introduced by Senators Carozza and Feldman
Read and Examined by Proofreaders:
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
Sealed with the Great Seal and presented to the Governor, for his approval this
_______ day of _______________ at _________________ _______ o’clock, ________M.
______________________________________________
President.
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Cannabis Agents – Registration – Security Guards and Security Guard 2
Employers – Registration, Certification, and Regulation 3
FOR the purpose of providing that a cannabis agent who is employed to provide security 4
services for a cannabis licensee or cannabis registrant as a security guard or by a 5
security guard agency is not required to obtain a State or national criminal history 6
records check if the cannabis agent is authorized to provide security guard services 7
in accordance with certain provisions of law; and generally relating to cannabis agent 8
registration and security guards altering the definition of “security guard employer” 9
for purposes of provisions of law governing the regulation of security guards, security 10
guard agencies, and security guard employers to exclude video lottery facilities, sports 11
wagering facility licensees, and health care facilities; and generally relating to the 12
registration, certification, and regulation of security guards and security guard 13
employers. 14
2 SENATE BILL 299
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 1
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 2
Section 36–501 3
Annotated Code of Maryland 4
(2024 Replacement Volume) 5
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 6
Article – Business Occupations and Professions 7
Section 19–101(a), (k), and (l), 19–201, and 19–401(c) 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2018 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 10
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 11
Article – Business Occupations and Professions 12
Section 19–101(m) 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2018 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 15
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 16
Article – State Government 17
Section 9–1A–14(a) and (b) and 9–1E–03(a)(1) 18
Annotated Code of Maryland 19
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 20
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 21
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 22
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 23
36–501. 24
(a) A cannabis agent must be registered with the Administration before the agent 25
may volunteer or work for a cannabis licensee or cannabis registrant. 26
(b) A cannabis agent registration is valid for 2 years. 27
(c) (1) [To] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS 28
SUBSECTION, TO register as a cannabis agent with the Administration, an individual 29
must: 30
[(1)] (I) be at least 21 years old; and 31
[(2)] (II) if the records are legally accessible, obtain a State and national 32
criminal history records check in accordance with § 36–505 of this subtitle. 33
SENATE BILL 299 3
(2) A CANNABIS AGENT WHO I S EMPLOYED TO PROVID E SECURITY 1
SERVICES FOR A CANNA BIS LICENSEE OR CANN ABIS REGISTRANT AS A SECURITY 2
GUARD OR BY A SECURI TY GUARD AGENCY , AS DEFINED IN § 19–101 OF THE 3
BUSINESS OCCUPATIONS AND PROFESSIONS ARTICLE, IS NOT REQUIRED TO 4
OBTAIN A STATE OR NATIONAL CRI MINAL HISTORY RECORD S CHECK IN 5
ACCORDANCE WITH § 36–505 OF THIS SUBTITLE IF THE CANNABIS AGENT I S 6
AUTHORIZED TO PROVID E SECURITY GUARD SERVICES UNDER TITLE 19, SUBTITLE 7
4 OF THE BUSINESS OCCUPATIONS AND PROFESSIONS ARTICLE. 8
(d) (1) The Administration may not register as a cannabis agent an individual 9
who does not meet the criteria established under subsection (c) of this section. 10
(2) The Administration may disqualify an individual from registering as a 11
cannabis agent if the individual has been convicted of or pleaded nolo contendere to a crime 12
involving moral turpitude, whether or not any appeal or other proceeding is pending to 13
have the conviction or plea set aside. 14
(e) The Administration may not deny a cannabis agent registration based on any 15
cannabis–related offenses occurring before July 1, 2023. 16
(f) A cannabis licensee shall require each registered cannabis agent to complete 17
an annual responsible vendor training program authorized under this title. 18
(g) A registration of a cannabis agent issued by the Natalie M. LaPrade Medical 19
Cannabis Commission on or before July 1, 2023, shall: 20
(1) be valid under this title; and 21
(2) authorize the cannabis agent to be employed by or volunteer with a 22
licensed cannabis business. 23
Article – Business Occupations and Professions 24
19–101. 25
(a) In this title the following words have the meanings indicated. 26
(k) “Security guard” means an individual who, regardless of whether the 27
individual is described as a security guard, watchman, or private patrolman or by other 28
title: 29
(1) (i) is an employee of a security guard agency; and 30
(ii) provides security guard services to another person on behalf of 31
the security guard agency; or 32
4 SENATE BILL 299
(2) (i) is an employee of a security guard employer; and 1
(ii) provides security guard services to the security guard employer. 2
(l) (1) “Security guard agency” means a person who conducts a business that 3
provides security guard services. 4
(2) “Security guard agency” does not include: 5
(i) a person that is primarily engaged in the business of owning, 6
maintaining, or otherwise managing property; or 7
(ii) a security guard employer. 8
(m) (1) “Security guard employer” means a person who employs security guards 9
only to provide security guard services to the person. 10
(2) “Security guard employer” does not include: 11
(I) a security guard agency; 12
(II) A VIDEO LOTTERY OPER ATOR, AS DEFINED UNDER § 13
9–1A–01 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE; 14
(III) A SPORTS WAGERING FA CILITY LICENSEE , AS DEFINED 15
UNDER § 9–1E–01 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE; OR 16
(IV) A HEALTH CARE FACILI TY, AS DEFINED UNDER § 19–114 OF 17
THE HEALTH – GENERAL ARTICLE. 18
19–201. 19
Subject to the provisions of this title, the Secretary is responsible for the licensing of 20
security guard agencies and the regulation of those persons who provide security guard 21
services in the State. 22
19–401. 23
(c) Except as provided under subsection (d) of this section, a security guard 24
employer may employ a security guard to provide security guard services only if the 25
individual is certified by the Secretary as a security guard. 26
Article – State Government 27
9–1A–14. 28
SENATE BILL 299 5
(a) Unless an individual holds a valid video lottery employee license or temporary 1
video lottery employee license issued by the Commission, the individual may not be employed 2
by a video lottery operation licensee as a video lottery employee. 3
(b) Before issuance of a video lottery employee license, an applicant shall provide 4
sufficient information, documentation, and assurances that the Commission may require. 5
9–1E–03. 6
(a) (1) Unless the context requires otherwise, the requirements under §§ 7
9–1A–04, 9–1A–06, 9–1A–07, 9–1A–08, 9–1A–12, 9–1A–14, 9–1A–18, 9–1A–19, 9–1A–20, and 8
9–1A–25 of this title apply to the authority, duties, and responsibilities of the Commission, 9
a sports wagering licensee, and an employee or a contractor of a sports wagering licensee 10
under this subtitle. 11
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 12
October 1, 2025. 13
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.