Del. Jennifer White Holland

Maddy summaryHB 920 requires developers, builders, brokers, and real estate agents to enter the final sale price of new homes into a multiple listing service (MLS) or similar database within 30 days of the sale. This applies to all new home transactions in Maryland and aims to make final sale prices publicly accessible through real estate databases used for market evaluations and appraisals. The bill defines "multiple listing service" as a database utilized by real estate professionals. It takes effect on October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 499, the "Ballot Petition Modernization Act," modernizes Maryland's petition process by requiring the State Board of Elections to adopt regulations for secure voter data handling and electronic signatures. It establishes clear rules for collecting and verifying electronic signatures on petitions, including accessibility standards for voters with disabilities and requirements for circulators to confirm signature validity. The bill updates signature collection procedures, removes outdated prohibitions on electronic signatures, and specifies how voter data must be stored securely to prevent misuse. This directly affects petition circulators, candidates gathering signatures, and voters whose registration data is used in the process.

Maddy summaryHB 935 requires Maryland to establish a dedicated prerelease facility for female incarcerated individuals, directly affecting women eligible for prerelease programs at the Maryland Correctional Institution for Women. The bill mandates a separate facility meeting specific criteria: at least 3 acres, not within 1 mile of other prisons, and designed to house 1.25 times the 2024 prerelease-eligible population. It requires the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to provide comprehensive rehabilitative services (including gender-responsive programming) and report progress to legislative committees by a specified deadline. The facility must operate by June 1, 2023, with the Department of General Services directing procurement for its construction.

Maddy summaryHB 926 modifies Maryland's income tax code to adjust how itemized deductions are calculated for certain taxpayers. It requires individuals who itemize deductions to further reduce their Maryland itemized deductions by either the amount of real property taxes paid (capped at $10,000) or $10,000, for tax years 2025 through 2029. This applies to Maryland taxpayers who claim federal itemized deductions, including homeowners who deduct property taxes. The bill also maintains a separate phase-out for high-income earners (exceeding $100,000 single/$200,000 married) where deductions are reduced by 7.5% of the excess AGI. The changes take effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 659 adds a new member position to Maryland's State Board of Education, requiring the Governor to appoint an early childhood development professional with extensive experience in child care operations and curriculum development. This member must be selected from a list of three candidates provided by the Office of Child Care Advisory Council. The bill directly affects the State Board's composition and ensures representation from early childhood education professionals, who will attend executive sessions but cannot vote on personnel appeals. The appointment process requires the Department to notify licensed child care providers of vacancies, and the position takes effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 488 establishes the geographic boundaries for Maryland's eight congressional districts for the 2026 elections. It specifies exact county and election district portions, using census tract data to define district lines where precincts are split, based on boundaries as they existed on January 13, 2026. This bill directly affects voters in Maryland's congressional districts by determining which communities are grouped together for electing U.S. Representatives. It replaces previous election law sections (8-702 through 8-709) and clarifies that certain districting rules apply only to state legislative districts, not congressional ones.

Maddy summaryHB 394 requires Maryland county school boards to annually identify areas where students live too far from school for bus transportation and list safe walking/biking routes (with sidewalks, crosswalks, or paths) for those students. County governments must then review these reports and construct necessary sidewalks and crosswalks to create these safe routes. The bill applies to all counties and mandates coordination with other entities if county-owned roads aren't sufficient. It directly affects public school students living beyond bus service distance and county governments responsible for infrastructure. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 331 establishes Maryland's Beverage Container Recycling Refund and Litter Reduction Program. It requires beverage producers to register, pay fees, and join a stewardship organization to manage recycling, mandates that all redeemable containers display refund information, and requires retailers to include the container's refund value in prices. Consumers receive refunds when returning containers to designated redemption facilities, while local governments can operate facilities to earn credits toward recycling targets. The bill also creates a grant program to fund public water fountains and refill stations, aiming to reduce litter and increase recycling rates.

Maddy summaryHB 438 establishes the Adult Prison School Board Model Development Committee to create a school board system for correctional education in Maryland's prisons and juvenile facilities. The committee, composed of state officials, correctional education representatives, and experts (including formerly incarcerated individuals and nonprofit advocates), must develop a funding and operational plan by June 2028, examining costs for staff, materials, and budget management. This procedural bill does not enact immediate policy changes but sets a timeline for recommendations to the Governor and legislature. It expires automatically on June 30, 2028, after its two-year study period.

Maddy summaryHB 572 authorizes Maryland’s Attorney General to sue large fossil fuel companies (with over $1 billion in market capitalization involved in extracting or processing coal, oil, or gas) for unlawful conduct contributing to climate change, including fraud or deception. It creates the Climate Crimes Accountability Fund, financed by settlements or judgments from these lawsuits, to pay for programs addressing specific climate harms like flooding, extreme heat, drought, and waterborne pathogens. The fund is a special, non-lapsing account managed by the state, with interest earnings automatically added to it. All money must directly support climate harm prevention, mitigation, or repair efforts as defined in the bill.