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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0124*
SENATE BILL 124
J1 6lr1392
SB 911/24 – FIN (PRE–FILED)
By: Senator Benson
Requested: October 28, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Finance
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics – Gene Structure– and Function–Modifying 2
Products – Labeling 3
FOR the purpose of prohibiting a person from offering for sale in the State a gene 4
structure– or function–modifying product unless the product is labeled in a certain 5
manner; and generally relating to labeling of gene structure – and 6
function–modifying products. 7
BY adding to 8
Article – Health – General 9
Section 21–2G–01 through 21–2G–04 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 2G. Gene 10
Structure– and Function–Modifying Products” 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 13
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 14
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 15
Article – Health – General 16
SUBTITLE 2G. GENE STRUCTURE– AND FUNCTION–MODIFYING PRODUCTS. 17
21–2G–01. 18
(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 19
INDICATED. 20
(B) “GENE STRUCTURE – OR FUNCTION –MODIFYING PRODUCT ” MEANS A 21
PRODUCT THAT HAS BEE N PRODUCED USING MODERN BIOTECHNOLOGY METHODS 22
2 SENATE BILL 124
DESIGNED TO ALTER THE STRUCTURE OR FUNCTION OF ONE OR MORE GENES IN THE 1
PRODUCT AND WHICH LE ADS TO THE PRODUCT C ONTAINING ARTIFICIAL LY 2
ENGINEERED ELEMENTS THAT MAY MODIFY THE STRUCTURE OR FUNCTION OF ONE 3
OR MORE GENES IN A CONSUMER. 4
(C) (1) “MODERN BIOTECHNOLOGY METHODS” MEANS A RECENTLY 5
DISCOVERED METHOD OF APPLICATION OF BIOLO GICAL PROCESSES FOR 6
INDUSTRIAL AND OTHER PURPOSES. 7
(2) “MODERN BIOTECHNOLOGY METHODS” INCLUDES: 8
(I) GENE EDITING; 9
(II) RNA INTERFERENCE; AND 10
(III) TRANSGENESIS. 11
21–2G–02. 12
(A) A PERSON MAY NOT OFFER FOR SALE IN THE STATE A GENE 13
STRUCTURE– OR FUNCTION –MODIFYING PRODUCT UN LESS THE GENE 14
STRUCTURE– OR FUNCTION –MODIFYING PRODUCT IS LABELED IN ACCORDANC E 15
WITH SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION. 16
(B) A GENE STRUCTURE – OR FUNCTION –MODIFYING PRODUCT OF FERED 17
FOR SALE IN THE STATE SHALL BE LABELE D, IN A PROMINENT AND C ONSPICUOUS 18
MANNER, WITH: 19
(1) THE WORDS “GENE STRUCTURE– OR FUNCTION –MODIFYING 20
PRODUCT”; AND 21
(2) ALL POTENTIAL RISKS , SIDE EFFECTS , ADVERSE EFFECTS, AND 22
OTHER REASONABLY POS SIBLE EFFECTS THAT T HE GENE STRUCTURE – OR 23
FUNCTION–MODIFYING PRODUCT MA Y HAVE ON AN INDIVID UAL WHO USES THE 24
GENE STRUCTU RE– OR FUNCTION –MODIFYING PRODUCT , OR ON AN INDIVIDUAL 25
WHO MAY COME INTO CO NTACT WITH THE INDIV IDUAL WHO USES THE 26
GENE STRUCTURE– OR FUNCTION–MODIFYING PRODUCT. 27
21–2G–03. 28
(A) A PERSON THAT VIOLATES THIS SUBTITLE: 29
SENATE BILL 124 3
(1) IS GUILTY OF A MISDEM EANOR AND ON CONVICTION IS SUBJ ECT 1
TO: 2
(I) FOR A FIRST OFFENSE, A FINE NOT EXCEEDING $10,000 OR 3
IMPRISONMENT NOT EXCEEDING 1 YEAR; AND 4
(II) FOR A SECOND OR SUBSE QUENT OFFENSE , A FINE NOT 5
EXCEEDING $25,000 OR IMPRISONMENT NOT EXCEEDING 3 YEARS; 6
(2) IS SUBJECT TO A CIVIL PENALT Y NOT EXCEEDING $5,000 IN AN 7
ACTION IN A DISTRICT COURT; AND 8
(3) MAY BE ENJOINED FROM CONTINUING THE VIOLATION. 9
(B) EACH DAY ON WHICH A V IOLATION OCCURS AFTER CONVICTION FOR A 10
FIRST OFFENSE IS A SEPARATE VIOLATION UNDER THIS SECTION. 11
21–2G–04. 12
THIS SUBTITLE SHALL B E CONSTRUED LIBERALL Y TO CARRY OUT ITS 13
PURPOSE. 14
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 15
October 1, 2026. 16