Del. Jon Cardin

Maddy summaryHB 312 modifies Maryland's rules for dismissing criminal charges against defendants found incompetent to stand trial. It directly affects victims of first-degree murder (under §2-201) and sexually assaultive behavior (under §10-923) by allowing victims or their representatives to petition a court to extend the 10-year dismissal deadline for these specific charges. The bill adds a new process where courts must consider victim petitions for extensions beyond the standard time limits, while still requiring advance notice to victims before dismissal. This change updates existing law (Article 3-107 of the Criminal Procedure code) to give victims a formal role in extending case timelines. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 759 requires Baltimore County to create a special fund using fines collected from speed monitoring systems. After covering the costs of operating these systems, any remaining fines must be deposited into the fund. The fund can only be used to pay for traffic calming devices (like speed bumps or crosswalk improvements) on county roads. This ensures fines directly support local road safety projects rather than general county budgets.

Maddy summaryHB 537 allows police officers in Maryland who are denied a right under disciplinary procedures to apply to a circuit court before their hearing. Specifically, officers employed by countywide or local agencies can file in their county's circuit court, while those with statewide or bicounty agencies must file in Anne Arundel County circuit court. The bill creates a process for officers to seek a court order requiring their law enforcement agency to explain why the denied right (such as a specific procedural safeguard) should not be granted. This amendment adds a new step to police disciplinary proceedings under Maryland law, directly affecting officers facing potential discipline.

Maddy summaryHB 464 requires Maryland local school systems to provide parents of children with disabilities with written information about secondary transition services during Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings. Specifically, it mandates this information be given at least once yearly and beginning when a student turns 14 years old. The bill also requires that materials be provided in the parent's native language if English is not their primary language. This applies directly to parents of students with IEPs in Maryland public schools, ensuring they receive clear, accessible planning resources for their child's post-secondary goals. The law amends existing Maryland education code sections to formalize these requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 498, the DECADE Act, reorganizes Maryland's economic development programs by repealing the Maryland Economic Development Commission and creating a new Strategic Closing Fund within the Department of Commerce. It updates eligibility rules for existing programs like the Build Our Future Grant Pilot and Child Care Capital Support Fund, expands financial assistance for projects in RISE zone areas, and modifies tax credit calculations for businesses (including film production and biotechnology). The bill affects businesses seeking economic development incentives, local governments managing RISE zones, and state agencies administering these programs. Key changes include altering how certain tax credits are calculated, waiving filing fees for businesses in designated zones, and extending or terminating specific tax credit programs. The act streamlines oversight by consolidating programs under the new Strategic Closing Fund structure.

Maddy summaryHB 1360 prohibits storing road salt uncovered outdoors in Maryland, directly affecting municipalities, road maintenance crews, and any entity handling road salt for winter operations. The bill requires the Department of the Environment to create regulations for proper outdoor storage (including covered methods) and establish penalties for noncompliance. Enforcement will be handled by county stormwater authorities working with the Department, while exempting entities already covered by federal salt management plans. The law takes effect October 1, 2025, aiming to reduce salt runoff into waterways.

Maddy summaryHB 501 (RAISE Act) simplifies licensing for workers who complete approved apprenticeships. It allows the State Board of Plumbing to waive the journey plumber exam for those who finish an approved program, and authorizes the Secretary of Labor to waive exams for other licensed trades under similar conditions. The bill creates new programs, including the Maryland Office of Registered Apprenticeship Development and an Apprenticeship Incentive Program, funded by a nonlapsing special fund for interest earnings. These changes directly affect apprentices, licensed trades workers (like plumbers), and employers participating in approved training programs. The law applies retroactively to existing apprenticeship completions.

Maddy summaryHB 310 clarifies that communications between an attorney and a client who acts as a fiduciary (such as a trustee or executor) remain protected by attorney-client privilege even when fiduciary funds - like trust or estate money - are used to pay for legal services. It directly affects fiduciaries managing estates or trusts and their clients, ensuring private legal discussions stay confidential regardless of funding source. The bill explicitly states that a fiduciary relationship between a fiduciary and a beneficiary does not automatically waive this privilege. This amendment to Maryland’s Estates and Trusts law (Section 15-117) takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 488 requires Maryland's State Department of Education to collect and publish detailed discipline data for all public schools, broken down by student characteristics including race, ethnicity, gender, disability status, socioeconomic status, and English language proficiency. The data must be available as an electronic spreadsheet on the Department's website at the state, school system, and individual school levels. The bill also mandates annual reporting on schools with high suspension rates for specific student groups to identify potential disparities in discipline. This policy increases transparency around school discipline practices without changing disciplinary procedures.

Maddy summaryHB 495 requires Maryland schools with existing antidiscrimination policies to update those policies to include specific information, such as reporting options for sexual violence, school contact details, investigation processes, victim resources, and medical facility locations. It mandates that policies be written in plain, age-appropriate language, printed for readability, available in common languages spoken by students/staff (5%+ of population), and accessible via oral interpretation for less common languages. Schools must distribute policies annually through handbooks, email, campus postings, and websites, and provide mandatory training to students at the start of each school year and to employees within four weeks of hire. This applies to all public/private K-12 schools, preK programs receiving state funding, and colleges in Maryland.