Rep. Scott Phillips

Maddy summaryHB 612 creates a new Certified Peer Recovery Specialist Training Program within Maryland's Department of Labor for incarcerated individuals in state correctional facilities. The bill requires the Director of Correctional Education to consult with the State Correctional Ombudsman when operating education programs and mandates the Department of Labor to establish two new positions: one to support correctional education staff and another to assist certified peer recovery specialists. The program provides funding for training, compensation for participants, and prepares incarcerated individuals to work in behavioral health and community recovery services after release. This directly affects incarcerated individuals in Maryland's correctional system by offering structured career pathways through peer support training.

Maddy summaryHB 350, the "Voting Rights Act of 2026," applies to local elections in Maryland counties and cities, protecting the voting rights of racial, ethnic, and language minority groups. It prohibits election methods that weaken the voting power of these groups, preventing them from electing preferred candidates or influencing election outcomes. Courts will determine violations by examining past election patterns and federal voting rights standards, rather than requiring proof of discriminatory intent. If a violation is found, courts can order remedies like changing election systems, but must respect existing statewide election practices.

Maddy summaryHB 576 authorizes the Maryland State Archives to establish fees for record services through regulations, directly affecting the public, state agencies, and courts that access or request records. Key provisions include allowing the Archives to set fees as a percentage (capped at 2% of existing fees) or flat subscription rates for record preservation, requiring 7% of collected fees to fund an Archives Endowment Account, and setting a $3 fee for public copies of property plats. The bill also clarifies that courts may obtain land record copies for free with judicial approval while maintaining fee structures for other services like vital records and certified copies. These changes update existing fee authority in Maryland law without altering record access requirements.

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 632 removes psychiatry and all subcategories of psychiatric services from the definition of "medical service" requiring a Certificate of Need (CON) in Maryland. This exempts psychiatric health care facilities and providers of psychiatric or mental health services from needing state approval before establishing or operating these services. The bill amends Maryland law by deleting "psychiatry" from the list of medical services subject to CON requirements, which currently includes services like surgery, pediatrics, and rehabilitation. This change directly affects psychiatric hospitals, clinics, and mental health programs seeking to expand or open without prior state review. The policy shift simplifies regulatory requirements for mental health service providers.

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 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 650, the Maryland Uniform Public Expression Protection Act, creates a procedural shield against strategic lawsuits meant to silence public debate. It allows individuals or groups who spoke about government matters or public issues (e.g., activists, journalists) to file a "special motion" within 60 days of being sued to dismiss the case, pausing all other court proceedings. The law covers communications in government proceedings, public issue discussions, or protected speech rights under state/federal constitutions, but excludes lawsuits by government entities, public health/safety enforcement, or commercial speech about goods/services. It replaces existing law (Section 5-807) with new provisions (Sections 5-1301 through 5-1313) to expedite dismissal of such cases.

Maddy summaryHB 414 changes Maryland's jury service rules by removing a disqualification for people currently on parole or probation for crimes punishable by more than one year in prison. Previously, individuals serving such sentences (including parole) were barred from jury duty, but this bill eliminates that specific barrier. The bill maintains disqualifications for crimes involving perjury, witness intimidation, jury intimidation, or certain offenses under Maryland's Criminal Law (Title 8). It also preserves requirements that jurors must understand English to complete qualification forms. This change would allow more people with past convictions to serve on juries, provided they meet all other eligibility criteria.