Del. Jessica Feldmark

Maddy summaryHB 153 lowers the minimum age for voter registration in Maryland from 16 to 15 years and 9 months. It requires election officials to send registered minors (ages 15-17) a notification card containing information about when they will become eligible to vote (at age 18). Additionally, it mandates that election directors send eligible minors who become 18 a notice about upcoming primary elections, available voting methods, and early voting locations. The bill directly affects minors registering to vote and election officials responsible for voter communications. It amends Maryland’s Election Law sections 3-102 and 3-301, effective October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1557 establishes a Maryland program to protect workers who lose jobs or are furloughed due to federal actions (like government shutdowns). It directly affects eligible individuals by requiring debt collectors to accept partial payments and halt repossession, blocking negative credit reporting during eligibility, and protecting against utility cutoffs, rent eviction, and property tax foreclosure. Key provisions include retroactive application of these protections and creating new administrative rules under Maryland’s State Government Article. The Maryland Department of Labor will administer the program, with eligibility defined by federal job loss. The bill amends multiple code sections across Commercial Law, Financial Institutions, and Real Property to implement these consumer safeguards.

Maddy summaryHB 591 changes Maryland law to set a 3-year deadline for local authorities to take action against violations of local consumer protection codes. Specifically, it requires that prosecutions or enforcement efforts for fines, penalties, or remedies must begin within 3 years after local officials knew or should have known about the violation. This applies directly to local governments and consumer protection agencies enforcing codes related to unfair business practices. The bill does not alter existing laws for other types of cases, focusing solely on consumer protection enforcement timelines. It takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1198, the Monica Cooper Prerelease Act, requires Maryland to establish a dedicated prerelease facility for female incarcerated individuals in Baltimore City (on at least 3 acres) by 2027. The facility must serve women with low violence/escape risk and satisfactory behavior, offering evidence-based programs like education, vocational training, trauma-informed healthcare, and family reunification support. It mandates the Department of Public Safety to provide comprehensive rehabilitative services - including help with public health benefits applications - and report progress to lawmakers by 2026. This bill directly affects female inmates eligible for prerelease status, aiming to reduce recidivism through gender-responsive reentry planning.

Maddy summaryHB 1325 establishes a 5-year pilot program (2026-2030) to create regional pools of substitute child care providers for Maryland child care facilities. The program, administered by a state-selected nonprofit, will recruit and support qualified providers to fill temporary staffing gaps in licensed centers, family homes, or large family child care homes. Key mechanisms include organizing pools across rural, suburban, and urban regions; helping providers meet background checks, training, and credential requirements; and developing a digital matching platform to connect providers with facilities. The program requires annual $350,000 grants to the nonprofit and $375,000 in annual state budget appropriations, with final reporting due to the legislature in 2029.

Maddy summaryHB 386 prohibits the use of pesticides containing PFAS chemicals (a class of fluorinated chemicals) at specific locations, including schools, healthcare facilities, day cares, residential lawns, and commercial mosquito spraying, beginning June 1, 2026. The Maryland Department of Agriculture must create and maintain a list of all PFAS pesticides by January 1, 2026, and distribute it to certified applicators. The bill also bans new registrations of PFAS pesticides for sale in Maryland starting June 1, 2027, and prohibits all use of these pesticides statewide after June 1, 2028. This directly affects pesticide manufacturers, certified applicators, and entities using pesticides in the specified locations.

Maddy summaryHB 493 designates November 14 each year as "Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day" in Maryland public schools to commemorate Ruby Bridges' 1960 integration of an all-white New Orleans elementary school. It requires each county board of education to create annual educational programs for this day, including symbolic walks, civil rights history lessons, and discussions on racial equality. The State Department of Education must also develop model educational resources, like lesson plans and discussion guides, to support schools in implementing these programs. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, and directly affects all Maryland public schools and their students.

Maddy summaryHB 596 requires Maryland county superintendents to allow advance enrollment for dependent children of active-duty service members relocating due to military orders, using a remote registration process without fees or in-person requirements. It mandates school systems to coordinate with parents and the sending state to prevent delays in enrolling children with disabilities who receive special education services. The bill also requires the Secretary of Veterans and Military Families to publish clear information about enrollment procedures and available support services. This applies to all public schools and specifically benefits military-connected families facing frequent relocations.

Maddy summaryHB 694 requires Maryland county school boards to annually report (starting September 1, 2025) the number of public school main entrances not accessible for people with disabilities and not meeting federal ADA standards, publishing this data on their websites. It also mandates that local school systems send their updated emergency plans to the state Department of Education by September 1 each year (starting 2025), with the department analyzing these plans and reporting compliance status to the legislature by December 1 annually. The bill further ensures that students with disabilities have emergency evacuation plans included in their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or 504 plans. These provisions directly affect all Maryland public school systems and county boards of education.

Maddy summaryHB 1129 proposes amending Maryland’s constitution to replace gendered pronouns (like "his" and "him") with gender-neutral language in sections describing constitutional officers. It specifically targets Articles II (Executive Department), V (Attorney General), VI (Treasury), and IX (Militia), updating phrases such as "his election" to "the Governor’s election" and "himself" to "themselves." The bill does not alter the roles, powers, or eligibility requirements for these offices - only the language used to describe them. This is a purely linguistic change aimed at modernizing constitutional text to be inclusive of all gender identities.