WPBN: During the transition from one year to the next, residents of Maryland should anticipate seeing certain changes throughout the state.
A number of newly enacted legislation in the state of Maryland will take effect on January 1. DC News Now has created a list of a few of measures that are going to be implemented in the year to come.
Health insurance for hearing aids for adults
At this time, the legislation in Maryland does not mandate that health insurance providers provide coverage for hearing aids for adults. On the other hand, the law mandates that health plans that are fully insured, health maintenance organizations (HMOs), and nonprofit health care plans must offer some form of hearing aid coverage to children if the hearing aids are prescribed to them.
Under House Bill 1339, which was approved by the Maryland General Assembly during the previous session and signed into law by Governor Wes Moore, health insurance providers, health maintenance organizations (HMOs), and nonprofit health service plans will be required to offer a certain level of coverage for hearing aids for adults beginning in the new year.
The coverage, on the other hand, will be restricted to a maximum of $1,400 per hearing aid for each ear, and it will only be applicable once every three years, making it comparable to the coverage for children’s hearing aids.
In the event that an individual desires a more expensive hearing aid, they have the option to select it and pay the additional cost without incurring any penalties from the provider.
Furthermore, according to the measure, insurance companies have the option of paying more than $1,400, but they are not required to do so anyhow.
It is expected that the new law would be applicable to all health benefit plans, contracts, and policies that are issued, delivered, or renewed in the state on or after January 1.
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Employers of recently designated security guards
According to the Maryland State Police (MSP), companies or individuals who hire one or more workers for security services will now need to obtain a security guard license in the new year.
Additionally, the employer needs to provide proof of company insurance and register online with the Maryland State Police Licensing Division.
The law is a component of SB 760, a measure pertaining to security guard agencies, employers, and certificates that was approved by the Maryland General Assembly and signed into law in 2023.
According to state police, the licensing division will switch from the existing paper-based structure for all professional license applications to an entirely computerized model on January 1, 2025. By Friday, December 27, all paper applications must be delivered in person to the division, which is situated at 1111 Reisterstown Road in Pikesville.
In the upcoming year, drivers in the state will also notice some modifications on the roadways.
The Maryland Road Worker Protection Act, which Governor Moore signed into law in April, revised the regulations governing the deployment of automated speed cameras on public roads and in construction zones (SafeZones).
Consequently, the penalties for speeding infractions recorded by automated cameras in work zones were raised from $40 to $80 in June 2024.
However, Maryland will implement a tiered system for work zone speed fines starting on January 1, 2025, which will be determined by how quickly an automobile exceeds the speed limit. Fines will double if a car is speeding when employees are around.
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| Speed range in excess of work zone speed limit | Fine | Fine when workers are present |
| Between 12 and 15 mph, inclusive | $60 | $120 |
| Between 16 and 19 mph, inclusive | $80 | $160 |
| Between 20 and 29 mph, inclusive | $140 | $280 |
| Between 30 and 39 mph, inclusive | $270 | $540 |
| 40 mph or more | $500 | $1,000 |
The new regulation will also require cameras to have flashing blue lights, and it will update work zone lights and signage to indicate when workers are present, according to MDOT.
