Md. Privacy, Kids' Safety and AI-Based 311 Bills Advance

Bills on privacy, kids’ online safety and an AI-based 311 phone service neared the Maryland governor’s desk last week. On Thursday, the House voted 103-33 for a comprehensive privacy bill (SB-541). Meanwhile, the Senate is nearing a vote on the cross-filed House version (HB-567). Maryland’s privacy proposal earlier received generally positive reviews from consumer privacy groups (see 2402140053). Also Thursday, the House voted 136-0 for SB-571, a kids’ safety bill modeled after the California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act. The Senate passed the similar House version (HB-603) Wednesday (see 2404040030). In addition, the House supported similar bills to direct the Department of Information Technology to evaluate the feasibility of an AI-based, statewide 311 system and possibly launch a pilot. The House voted 126-9 to approve the Senate-passed SB-1068. And it voted 132-5 for HB-1141 after amending it to match the Senate bill. A House committee heard testimony on SB-1068 last week (see 2403270041). Gov. Wes Moore (D) would need to sign the bills if they pass the Maryland General Assembly.