SB 422

SENATE BILL 422
     M4  6lr1587
     SB 537/25 – EEE  CF HB 665
     By: Senator Kramer
     Introduced and read first time: January 30, 2026
     Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
  A BILL ENTITLED
1 AN ACT concerning
2   Research Facilities and Testing Facilities That Use Animals – Adoption and
3Reporting Requirements
4 FOR the purpose of applying certain provisions of law regarding the adoption of dogs and
5      cats used for scientific research purposes to testing facilities; requiring certain
6      research facilities and testing facilities to submit to the Department of Agriculture
7      certain information regarding dogs and cats on or before a certain date each year;
8      requiring a school or an institution of higher education that uses animals for certain
9      purposes to submit a report on the results of certain inspections to the General
10      Assembly on or before a certain date each year; and generally relating to research
11      facilities and testing facilities that use animals in research, education, or testing.
12 BY adding to
13      Article – Agriculture
14      Section 15–101 and 15–103 through 15–106
15      Annotated Code of Maryland
16      (2016 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
17 BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
18Article – Agriculture
19Section 15–101 to be under the amended title “Title 15. Research Facilities and
20Testing Facilities That Use Animals”
21Annotated Code of Maryland
22(2016 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
23SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
24 That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
25Article – Agriculture
     EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
  [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
  *sb0422*
2SENATE BILL 422
1 Title 15. Research Facilities [that] AND TESTING FACILITIES THAT Use [Dogs or Cats]
2ANIMALS.
3 15–101.
4      (A)     IN THIS TITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS
5 INDICATED.
6      (B)     (1)
  “RESEARCH FACILITY” MEANS ANY FACILITY IN THE STATE THAT
7 USES LIVE ANIMALS FOR RESEARCH, EDUCATION, OR EXPERIMENTATION.
8(2) “RESEARCH FACILITY” DOES NOT INCLUDE A PARTNERSHIP, A
9 CORPORATION, AN ASSOCIATION, AN INSTITUTION, AN ORGANIZATION, OR ANY
10 OTHER ENTITY IN THE STATE THAT PROVIDES ONLY BENEFICIAL SERVICES TO AN
11 ANIMAL, SUCH AS SPAYING AND NEUTERING.
12      (C)  (1) “TESTING FACILITY” MEANS A PUBLIC OR PRIVATE
13 PARTNERSHIP, CORPORATION, ASSOCIATION, ORGANIZATION, OR OTHER ENTITY IN
14 THE STATE THAT USES ANIMALS FOR THE TESTING OF:
15(I)    CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES;
16(II)   INGREDIENTS;
17(III) DRUGS;
18(IV)   VACCINES;
19(V)    PRODUCTS; OR
20(VI)   PRODUCT FORMULATIONS.
21(2) “TESTING     FACILITY”   INCLUDES    A   PARTNERSHIP,     A
22 CORPORATION, AN ASSOCIATION, AN ORGANIZATION, OR ANY OTHER ENTITY IN THE
23 STATE THAT IS OWNED, LEASED, OR OPERATED BY A PUBLIC OR PRIVATE ENTITY.
24(3) “TESTING FACILITY” DOES NOT INCLUDE A PARTNERSHIP, A
25 CORPORATION, AN ASSOCIATION, AN INSTITUTION, AN ORGANIZATION, OR ANY
26 OTHER ENTITY IN THE STATE THAT PROVIDES ONLY BENEFICIAL SERVICES TO AN
27 ANIMAL, SUCH AS SPAYING AND NEUTERING.
28 [15–101.] 15–102.
29      (a)     (1)    In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.
  SENATE BILL 422  3
1(2)    “Animal rescue organization” includes:
2(i)    A nonprofit organization incorporated for the purpose of rescuing
3 animals in need and finding permanent adoptive homes for the animals; and
4(ii)        A government–operated animal control unit that provides
5 animals for adoption.
6(3)    [“Research facility” includes:
7(i)     A higher education research facility;
8(ii)    A scientific research facility;
9(iii)   A medical research facility; and
10(iv)    A product testing facility.
11(4)]   “Scientific research purposes” includes:
12(i)     Investigation;
13(ii)    Experimentation;
14(iii)   Instruction; and
15(iv)    Testing.
16(b)   This section applies to a dog or cat that, in the determination of an attending
17 veterinarian, is suitable for adoption.
18(c)   A research facility OR TESTING FACILITY located in the State in which dogs
19 or cats are used for scientific research purposes shall take reasonable steps to provide for
20 the adoption of a dog or cat that, in the determination of the research facility OR TESTING
21 FACILITY, is no longer needed for scientific research purposes by:
22(1)    Establishing a private placement process to provide for the adoption of
23 a dog or cat;
24(2)    Establishing a list of animal rescue organizations that are approved by
25 the research facility OR TESTING FACILITY and are willing to take a dog or cat from the
26 research facility OR TESTING FACILITY; and
4SENATE BILL 422
1(3)   Offering the dog or cat to the animal rescue organizations identified in
2 the list established under item (2) of this subsection if the research facility OR TESTING
3 FACILITY is unable to place the dog or cat through its private placement process.
4(d)    A research facility OR TESTING FACILITY may enter into a collaborative
5 agreement with an animal rescue organization for the purpose of carrying out the
6 provisions of this section.
7 15–103.
8(A) ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 31 EACH YEAR, EACH RESEARCH FACILITY
9 AND TESTING FACILITY THAT USES LIVE ANIMALS FOR RESEARCH, EDUCATION, OR
10 TESTING SHALL SUBMIT TO THE SECRETARY THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION
11 REGARDING THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING 12–MONTH PERIOD:
12(1)
  THE NUMBER OF DOGS OR CATS OWNED AND USED BY THE
13 RESEARCH FACILITY OR TESTING FACILITY; AND
14(2)
  THE NUMBER OF DOGS OR CATS RELEASED TO ANIMAL RESCUE
15 ORGANIZATIONS UNDER § 15–102 OF THIS TITLE AND THE NAMES OF THE ANIMAL
16 RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS TO WHICH THE DOGS OR CATS WERE RELEASED.
17(B)    THE SECRETARY SHALL:
18(1)
  PREPARE AN ANNUAL REPORT AGGREGATING THE INFORMATION
19 SUBMITTED UNDER SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION; AND
20(2)   POST THE ANNUAL REPORT ON THE DEPARTMENT’S WEBSITE.
21 15–104.
22(A)    ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 31 EACH YEAR, A SCHOOL OR AN
23 INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION THAT USES ANIMALS FOR THE SAME PURPOSE
24 AS A RESEARCH FACILITY OR TESTING FACILITY SHALL REPORT TO THE GENERAL
25 ASSEMBLY, IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE,
26 ON THE RESULTS OF ANY INSPECTION OF THE SCHOOL OR THE INSTITUTION OF
27 HIGHER EDUCATION PERFORMED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE OR
28 ANY OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY.
29(B) THE REPORT REQUIRED UNDER SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION
30 SHALL INCLUDE ANY VIOLATIONS FOUND DURING AN INSPECTION.
31 15–105.
  SENATE BILL 422  5
1      A RESEARCH FACILITY OR TESTING FACILITY THAT VIOLATES THIS TITLE IS
2 SUBJECT TO:
3(1)   FOR A FIRST OFFENSE, A FINE NOT EXCEEDING $1,000; AND
4(2) FOR A SECOND OR SUBSEQUENT OFFENSE, A FINE NOT
5 EXCEEDING $5,000.
6 15–106.
7      THE DEPARTMENT MAY ADOPT REGULATIONS TO:
8(1)   CARRY OUT THIS TITLE; AND
9(2)  ENSURE THE HUMANE TREATMENT AND CARE OF DOGS AND CATS
10 THAT ARE USED FOR RESEARCH, EDUCATION, OR TESTING CONSISTENT WITH THE
11 FEDERAL ANIMAL WELFARE ACT AND CORRESPONDING REGULATIONS.
12SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
13 October 1, 2026.