SB 804

Maryland Building Performance Standards - Fossil Fuel Use, Energy Conservation, and Electric- and Solar-Ready Standards (Better Buildings Act of 2025)

Sponsor: Benjamin Brooks (District 10)Committee: Education, Energy, and the EnvironmentSubject: Public SafetyStatus: Hearing 2/27 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Dec 1, 2025)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Requiring the Maryland Department of Labor to adopt, by October 1, 2025, and as part of the Maryland Building Performance Standards, energy conservation requirements, an electric- and solar-ready standard for certain buildings, and a requirement that new buildings and significant improvements meet all laundry, water, and space heating demands of the building without the use of fossil fuels.

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Analysis reads the bill text, the fiscal note, and the witness list. It is generated by Claude and reviewed by nobody, so check the source documents before you rely on it.

Testimony (0)

MGA witness list

FAV 50FavorableFWA 1Favorable with amendmentsUNF 21Unfavorable

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Parts, Chris	AIA Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Coronado Flores, Jose	CASA	Written (PDF)
FAV	Manuel, Anne	CCAN Action Fund volunteer	Written (PDF)
FAV	Mascioli, William	CCAN Volunteer	Written (PDF)
FAV	Dunning, Bryan	Center for Progressive Reform	Position only
FAV	Mauk, Jeff	Ceres	Written (PDF)
FAV	Stegman, Matt	Chesapeake Bay Foundation	Written (PDF)
FAV	Searcy, Talisha	City of Takoma Park	Written (PDF)
FAV	McGilvray, Laurie	Climate Justice Wing of the Maryland Legislative Coalition	Written (PDF)
FAV	DeMarco, Jamie	DeMarco Advocacy	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Hudson, Lee	Delaware-Maryland Synod, ELCA	Written (PDF)
FAV	Stewart, Frances	Elders Climate Action Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	O'Donnell, Catherine	Environmental and Occupational Health Department, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University	Written (PDF)
FAV	Feighner, Liz	HoCo Climate Action	Written (PDF)
FAV	Novey, Joelle	Interfaith Power & Light (DC.MD.NoVA)	Written (PDF)
FAV	Singer, Elizabeth	Jewish Community Relations Council, Jewish Federation of Howard County	Written (PDF)
FAV	Hunter, Caseylobbyist	League of Women Voters of Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Webster, Phil	Legislative body for the Unitarian Universalist faith, C/O Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis	Written (PDF)
FAV	Feighner, Liz	Liz Feighner, self	Position only
FAV	Liu, David	Marriotts Ridge High School	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Bartock, Laura	Maryland Climate Partners	Written (PDF)
FAV	Plante, Cecilia	Maryland Legislative Coalition	Written (PDF)
FAV	Mizrahi, Jennifer	Mizrahi Family Charitable Fund	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kinsey, Kathy	Mobilize Frederick	Written (PDF)
FAV	Fitzgerald, Garrett	Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection	Written (PDF)
FAV	Sherman, Erin	RMI	Oral
FAV	Shriner, Mariahlobbyist	Sierra Club Maryland Chapter	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Muldrow, Adrian	T.A.M.E Advocacy	Position only
FAV	Walton, Kevin	The Climate Mobilization, Montgomery County MD	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Phelps Jr, Ken	The Episcopal Diocese of Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Reeves, Joy	The Rachel Carson Council	Position only
FAV	Tilman, Gracie	U.S. Green Building Council	Written (PDF)
FAV	McNair, Lee	Unitarian Universalist Environmental Justice Ministry	Position only
FAV	Kaplowitz, Richard KAP	Year	Written (PDF)
FAV	Morhaim, Dan	none	Written (PDF)
FAV	Arndt, Dave	Individual	Position only
FAV	Arney, Cheryl	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Brooks, Benjamin	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Cohn, Debbie	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Earnest, Ray	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Harris, Mrs.	Individual	Position only
FAV	Hinton, Rev. Dellyne	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Kerr, Cait	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	LeVesque, Raymond	Individual	Position only
FAV	Little, Kathryn	Individual	Position only
FAV	Ritter, Kelsey	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Senator Brooks, Senator Brookslegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Stith, John	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Tevelow, Carla	Individual	Position only
FAV	Welch, Laura	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Jones, Brittanylobbyist	BGE	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Popham, Brysonlobbyist	Bryson F. Popham, P.A.	Written (PDF)
UNF	Baccino, Steve	Chesapeake Utilities Corporation	Written (PDF)
UNF	Waitlevertch, Scottlobbyist	Columbia Gas of Maryland	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Marczyk, Bernielobbyist	Cornerstone Government Affairs	Written (PDF)
UNF	Peters, Sarahlobbyist	Husch Blackwell Strategies	Written (PDF)
UNF	Enten, robert	Maryland Building Industry Assoc	Oral
UNF	Graf, Lorilobbyist	Maryland Building Industry Association	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Allen, Hannahlobbyist	Maryland Chamber of Commerce	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Brice, Tyler	Maryland Municipal League	Oral + Written (PDF)

Showing 60 of 72

Organizations on record

AIA MarylandFAV 1

BGEUNF 1

Bryson F. Popham, P.A.UNF 1

CASAFAV 1

CCAN Action Fund volunteerFAV 1

CCAN VolunteerFAV 1

Center for Progressive ReformFAV 1

CeresFAV 1

Chesapeake Bay FoundationFAV 1

Chesapeake Utilities CorporationUNF 1

City of Takoma ParkFAV 1

Climate Justice Wing of the Maryland Legislative CoalitionFAV 1

Columbia Gas of MarylandUNF 1

Cornerstone Government AffairsUNF 1

Delaware-Maryland Synod, ELCAFAV 1

DeMarco AdvocacyFAV 1

Elders Climate Action MarylandFAV 1

Environmental and Occupational Health Department, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington UniversityFAV 1

FSi EngineersFWA 1

HoCo Climate ActionFAV 1

Husch Blackwell StrategiesUNF 1

Interfaith Power & Light (DC.MD.NoVA)FAV 1

Jewish Community Relations Council, Jewish Federation of Howard CountyFAV 1

League of Women Voters of MarylandFAV 1

Legislative body for the Unitarian Universalist faith, C/O Unitarian Universalist Church of AnnapolisFAV 1

Liz Feighner, selfFAV 1

Marriotts Ridge High SchoolFAV 1

Maryland Building Industry AssocUNF 1

Maryland Building Industry AssociationUNF 1

Maryland Chamber of CommerceUNF 1

Maryland Climate PartnersFAV 1

Maryland Legislative CoalitionFAV 1

Maryland Municipal LeagueUNF 1

Maryland Retailers AllianceUNF 1

Mayor-City of CambrudgeUNF 1

Mizrahi Family Charitable FundFAV 1

Mobilize FrederickFAV 1

Montgomery County Chamber of CommerceUNF 1

Montgomery County Department of Environmental ProtectionFAV 1

NAIOP MarylandUNF 1

noneFAV 1

RMIFAV 1

Sierra Club Maryland ChapterFAV 1

State and Local AdvisorsUNF 1

Suburban PropaneUNF 1

T.A.M.E AdvocacyFAV 1

The Climate Mobilization, Montgomery County MDFAV 1

The Episcopal Diocese of MarylandFAV 1

The Rachel Carson CouncilFAV 1

U.S. Green Building CouncilFAV 1

Unitarian Universalist Environmental Justice MinistryFAV 1

Washington GasUNF 1

YearFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVHunter, CaseyLeague of Women Voters of MarylandRegistered for: League of Women Voters of Maryland

FAVShriner, MariahSierra Club Maryland ChapterRegistered for:

UNFJones, BrittanyBGERegistered for: Baltimore Gas and Electric Company

UNFPopham, BrysonBryson F. Popham, P.A.Registered for: Agency Insurance Company of Maryland; Agency Services, Inc.; Army Alliance; Bryson F. Popham P.A.; Building Owners and Managers Association of Greater Baltimore (BOMA); CVS Health…

UNFWaitlevertch, ScottColumbia Gas of MarylandRegistered for: Columbia Gas of Maryland

UNFMarczyk, BernieCornerstone Government AffairsRegistered for: Adobe Inc.; American Petroleum Institute; Amgen, Inc.; Annie E. Casey Foundation, Inc., The; AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, LP; Baltimore County Public Library Board of Trustees…

UNFPeters, SarahHusch Blackwell StrategiesRegistered for: Action Now Initiative, LLC; Alibaba; Ameresco; American Diabetes Association; Apartment & Office Building Association; Barwood Taxi Service…

UNFGraf, LoriMaryland Building Industry AssociationRegistered for: Maryland Building Industry Association

UNFAllen, HannahMaryland Chamber of CommerceRegistered for: Maryland Chamber of Commerce

UNFPrice, SarahMaryland Retailers AllianceRegistered for: Maryland Retailers Alliance; Maryland Retailers Association

UNFLevine, BrianMontgomery County Chamber of CommerceRegistered for: Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce

UNFEllington, PaulState and Local AdvisorsRegistered for: Wicomico County, MD Executive Office; Greater Crisfield Action Committee; Glenn L Martin Maryland Aviation Museum; Maryland Aviation Council; Worcester County Maryland; Optimize Renewables…

UNFTodd, BrandonWashington GasRegistered for: