MD SB922

Establishes collective bargaining rights for county and municipal government employees in Maryland, applying the Maryland Public Employee Relations Act to local governments including county sheriff's departments and quasi-governmental entities

Excludes county boards of education, community college boards, and public library systems from the definition of "public local employer," and excludes confidential and management employees from collective bargaining rights

Creates binding arbitration procedures for impasse resolution in negotiations between quasi-governmental entities and employee representatives, requiring arbitration to conclude within 30 days with arbitrators considering comparable wages in surrounding jurisdictions and employer ability to pay

Allows counties and municipalities to adopt local labor relations laws and petition the Public Employee Relations Board for a compliance determination, with exempt local governments required to establish impasse procedures that either permit strikes or provide for binding arbitration

Takes effect July 1, 2026, with delayed implementation until July 1, 2027 for specified jurisdictions including Baltimore City, Montgomery County, Prince George's County, and several other named counties and cities