Bill > SB26

This bill, titled the Davis Martinez Public Employee Safety and Health Act, establishes comprehensive new regulations and protections for public employees' workplace safety and health. The legislation creates a Public Employees' Safety and Health Unit within the Division of Labor and Industry to administer and enforce safety standards specifically for public bodies. Key provisions include requiring the Commissioner of Labor and Industry to develop standards for preventing workplace violence, mandating that public bodies create and maintain workplace safety programs, and establishing new reporting and inspection requirements. The bill introduces detailed regulations for body-worn cameras for correctional officers, including when recording is mandatory, prohibited, or discretionary, and specifies requirements for storing and accessing recordings. Additionally, the bill expands the definition of workplace safety to include preventing workplace violence, requires annual safety reports, and allows for civil penalties against public bodies that fail to comply with safety standards. The legislation aims to make public workplaces safer by giving public employees more protections, increasing transparency, and creating more robust mechanisms for identifying and addressing workplace safety issues. The bill is set to take effect on October 1, 2025, giving public bodies time to prepare for the new requirements.

Budget and Finance

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/SB0026?ys=2025RS