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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the la w by
amendment.
*hb0625*
HOUSE BILL 625
M4, C8, J1 6lr2562
CF SB 585
By: Delegate Cullison
Introduced and read first time: January 30, 2026
Assigned to: Health
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 22, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Human–Relevant Research Fund – Collection of Contributions – Responsible 2
Entity 3
FOR the purpose of requiring certain research facilities to pay contributions for the 4
Human–Relevant Research Fund to the Department of Agriculture, rather than the 5
Maryland Department of Health; and generally relating to the H uman–Relevant 6
Research Fund. 7
BY repealing 8
Article – Health – General 9
Section 24–2301 through 24–2303 and the subtitle “Subtitle 23. Animal Testing and 10
Research Contribution” 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 13
BY adding to 14
Article – Agriculture 15
Section 2–2501 through 2–2503 to be under the new subtitle “ Subtitle 25. 16
Human–Relevant Research Fund Contribution Collection” 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2016 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 19
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 20
That Section(s) 24–2301 through 24 –2303 and the subtitle “Subtitle 23. Animal Testing 21
2 HOUSE BILL 625
and Research Contribution” of Article – Health – General of the Annotated Code of 1
Maryland be repealed. 2
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Laws of Maryland read 3
as follows: 4
Article – Agriculture 5
SUBTITLE 25. HUMAN–RELEVANT RESEARCH FUND CONTRIBUTION COLLECTION. 6
2–2501. 7
IN THIS SUBTITLE, “ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE 8
FORM 7023” MEANS THE FORM REQUI RED TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE FEDERAL 9
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE UNDER 7 U.S.C. § 2143 AND 9 C.F.R. § 2.36. 10
2–2502. 11
(A) ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 15 EACH YEAR , BEGINNING IN 2024, EACH 12
RESEARCH FACILITY THAT IS LOCATED IN THE STATE AND IS REQUIRED TO SUBMIT 13
AN ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE FORM 7023 SHALL PAY TO 14
THE DEPARTMENT A CONTRIBUTION IN THE AMOUNT OF: 15
(1) $5,000 FOR UP TO 100 ANIMALS; 16
(2) $10,000 FOR MORE THAN 100 BUT NOT MORE THAN 500 ANIMALS; 17
(3) $55,000 FOR MORE THAN 500 BUT NOT MORE THAN 5,000 18
ANIMALS; AND 19
(4) $75,000 FOR MORE THAN 5,000 ANIMALS. 20
(B) THE AMOUNT OF THE CON TRIBUTION TO BE PAID UNDER SUBSECTION 21
(A) OF THIS SECTION SHAL L BE BASED ON THE TO TAL NUMBER OF ANIMAL S 22
REPORTED IN COLUMN F ON THE MOST RECENTLY SUBMITTED ANIMAL AND PLANT 23
HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE FORM 7023. 24
(C) THE SECRETARY SHALL DISTR IBUTE THE FUNDS PAID UNDER 25
SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION TO T HE HUMAN–RELEVANT RESEARCH FUND 26
ESTABLISHED UNDER § 10–4D–02 OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ARTICLE. 27
2–2503. 28
HOUSE BILL 625 3
A RESEARCH FACILITY TH AT FAILS TO PAY THE CONTRIBUTION REQUIRED 1
UNDER § 2–2502(A) OF THIS SUBTITLE MAY BE SUBJECT TO A CIVIL PENALTY OF NOT 2
MORE THAN $1,000 PER DAY. 3
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 4
October 1, 2026. 5
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.