Bill > HB576

This bill authorizes the State Archives to establish reasonable fees by regulation for various services, including the care and preservation of records, making and certifying copies of records, electronically posting and maintaining images of plats related to state property acquisitions, and copying or searching for vital records (such as birth, death, marriage, divorce, or annulment records). These fees can be structured as a percentage of an existing fee (up to 2%) or a flat subscription charge for publications. A portion of the collected fees, specifically 7%, will be deposited into an endowment account for the State Archives as an educational and entrepreneurial reserve. The bill also clarifies that while the Archives can charge for most record copies and certifications, a micrographic copy of a land record transferred to the Archives from a circuit court clerk's office must be provided without charge if requested by the clerk with a judge's approval. The changes are set to take effect on October 1, 2026.

Government Affairs

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB0576?ys=2026RS