Employment Discrimination - Fire and Rescue Public Safety Employees - Use of Medical Cannabis
HB 797 would make two changes to Maryland’s sports wagering law. First, it directs the Sports Wagering Application Review Commission, subject to existing limits in the subtitle, to accept and consider applications for sports wagering facility licenses and mobile sports wagering licenses that are submitted before January 1, 2027. Second, it extends the sunset date for the statute requiring sports wagering licensees to comply with the State’s Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Program from July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2026.
The bill also preserves the existing requirement that, to the extent practicable and constitutionally permissible, sports wagering licensees participate in the MBE Program and that the Governor’s Office of Small, Minority, and Women Business Affairs work with the Attorney General and licensees to set participation goals and procurement procedures. In practical terms, the bill affects the licensing process for sports betting operators and extends minority business participation requirements in the sports wagering industry for two additional years.
HB 797 would amend Sections 9-1E-07 and 9-1E-15 of the State Government Article, changing the timeline for sports wagering license application review and extending the expiration of MBE-related provisions applicable to sports wagering. It would affect the Sports Wagering Application Review Commission, prospective sports wagering facility and mobile license applicants, and existing or future licensees subject to procurement and participation goals tied to minority-, women-, and small-business enterprises.
The bill appears generally supportive of continued regulation and expansion of the sports wagering market while preserving diversity and small-business participation goals. Because no committee transcript or recorded votes were provided, there is no direct evidence of debate or opposition in the supplied materials. The bill’s structure suggests a policy consensus around keeping the licensing process open for a longer period and maintaining MBE requirements for a limited additional time.
The main policy tension in HB 797 is between extending sports wagering licensing opportunities and the temporary nature of the MBE requirements. Potential points of contention include whether the Commission should continue accepting applications through January 1, 2027, and whether extending the MBE sunset to 2026 is sufficient or appropriate. Stakeholders most likely to care include sports wagering operators, prospective applicants, minority-, women-, and small-owned businesses, and state procurement and regulatory officials.