Del. Jennifer White Holland

Maddy summaryHB 853 (Maryland Second Look Act) allows individuals serving prison sentences of 20+ years to petition courts for sentence reduction under specific conditions. To qualify, petitioners must have served at least 20 years and wait 5 years after any prior petition, with a maximum of three petitions total. Courts must hold hearings considering factors like rehabilitation, victim input, the individual’s age at the offense, and safety risks, and must publicly state their reasons for granting or denying relief. The law applies retroactively to eligible individuals already serving long sentences.

Maddy summaryHB 698 requires certain Maryland counties to report annually on development impact fees, surcharges, and excise taxes collected from new construction. Specifically, charter counties with such fees, code counties with local laws imposing them, and commission counties that have both authorization and enacted them must submit reports by July 1 each year to the Governor and General Assembly. The reports must detail total amounts collected, how funds are distributed to specific districts (like legislative or commissioner districts), and how much is used for capital projects such as transportation improvements, school construction, or other related infrastructure. Counties must make these reports publicly available on their websites or through other accessible means.

Maddy summaryHB 646 extends the deadline for a task force studying the creation of a Division of Returning Citizens and expanded reentry services. The bill delays the task force's report submission date from December 31, 2025, to October 31, 2026, and extends the task force's termination date from 2026 to 2027. This procedural bill amends previous legislation (Chapters 936 and 937 of the 2024 Acts) without changing the task force's purpose or creating new services. It directly affects the existing task force by providing additional time to complete its work.

Maddy summaryHB 1424, the "Protect Our Federal Workers Act," expands state financial assistance to Maryland residents affected by federal government disruptions beyond just shutdowns. It renames the "Federal Government Shutdown Employee Assistance Loan Fund" to the "Federal Government Employee Assistance Loan Fund" and broadens eligibility to include current federal employees not paid during shutdowns *and* Maryland residents recently terminated due to federal office closures, relocations, or mass layoffs. The bill allows funds from the state’s Catastrophic Event Account to cover costs for these individuals, administered by the Maryland Department of Labor. This changes existing law to provide loans for both ongoing shutdowns and post-layoff financial hardship from federal facility changes.

Maddy summaryHB 514 revises Maryland’s chiropractic licensing rules to update the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners’ structure and oversight. It changes board membership (requiring 5 licensed chiropractors and 2 consumer members), adds authority for unannounced office inspections when complaints allege violations of CDC infection control guidelines, and mandates health provider exams for licensees or applicants under specific circumstances. The bill directly affects chiropractors seeking licensure or renewal, chiropractic offices, and the Board itself. Key changes include streamlined board appointments, enhanced compliance inspections, and new requirements for health assessments to ensure public safety.

Maddy summaryHB 573 updates Maryland's requirements for expanded function dental assistants (EFDA). It requires the State Board of Dental Examiners to approve specific types of training programs (like accredited college courses or programs from the Dental Assisting National Board) for EFDA certification, and mandates that initial certification courses offer online options when appropriate. The bill also sets clear rules for reinstating expired EFDA certifications, requiring completion of continuing education (which must include online options), timely renewal applications, and payment of fees. These changes directly affect dental assistants seeking or renewing their EFDA certification in Maryland.

Maddy summaryHB 601 amends Maryland's Small Business Guaranty Fund program (Section 5-540 of the Economic Development Article) to expand how loan guarantees can be supported. It now allows guarantees to be backed by the State’s full faith and credit *or* by alternative financial instruments like irrevocable letters of credit, treasurer’s checks, escrow accounts, or other instruments promising reimbursement for lender losses. The bill also adds a requirement that the Authority must determine a loan will have "substantial economic impact" before approving a guarantee, considering factors like job creation and loan terms. This directly affects small businesses seeking loans (applicants) and financial institutions providing those loans by making guarantee options more flexible and adding a new review step. The changes take effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 345 would allow social workers licensed in Maryland to practice in other states that join the Social Work Licensure Compact without needing separate licenses. The bill establishes a Compact Commission to manage mutual recognition of licenses, reduce duplicate requirements, and ensure accountability for social workers practicing across state lines. This directly affects licensed social workers, military families (who benefit from easier mobility), and clients seeking services in multiple states. The key mechanism is creating a standardized system for license portability while requiring social workers to follow the laws of the state where the client is located during service.

Maddy summaryHB 1468 transfers Maryland's Cyber Maryland Program from the Maryland Technology Development Corporation to the Maryland Department of Labor, restructuring its governance and operations. The bill requires the Program to award competitive grants for IT/OT workforces starting in fiscal year 2026, alters how the Cyber Maryland Fund can be used (including rolling over unused balances), and updates the Program's purpose to focus on creating a cybersecurity talent pipeline to reduce workforce vacancies by July 2026. It also mandates the Program to coordinate with cybersecurity industry groups, develop a statewide workforce plan, and ensure diversity in outcomes. These changes directly affect Maryland employers seeking cybersecurity talent and state workforce development programs.

Maddy summaryHB 957 requires state contractors to ensure a specified percentage of workers on certain projects are Maryland residents and that a certain percentage of work hours are performed by residents. It directs the Maryland Department of Labor to enforce these residency requirements for state procurement contracts. Contractors who violate these rules may be debarred from future state contracts, with debarment triggered by specific violations like criminal convictions related to contracting or failure to meet residency standards. The bill amends existing procurement law and adds new sections (17-6B-01 to 17-6B-05) to establish these requirements.