Del. Jessica Feldmark

Maddy summaryHB 1254 establishes a state program to provide funding to Maryland public and nonpublic schools participating in the federal child nutrition program's community eligibility provision. The program covers the difference between federal paid and free meal reimbursement rates, helping schools avoid financial shortfalls when serving more students at no cost. The State Department of Education will distribute funds based on poverty concentration and geographic diversity in school districts. The state will appropriate $10 million annually starting in fiscal year 2027 to support this program.

Maddy summaryHB 1513 prohibits school resource officers and school security employees in Maryland public schools from engaging in federal immigration investigation or enforcement activities. It directly affects school security personnel, including law enforcement officers assigned to schools under memorandums of understanding and non-officer security staff. The bill adds Section 7-1508.1 to Maryland’s education code, explicitly banning the use of school security staff for federal immigration enforcement functions under Section 287(g) of federal law. The prohibition takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1237 requires Maryland's Department of the Environment to accept public comments on environmental permit and license applications for at least 14 days after newspaper publication, if no specific comment period is set by law or regulation. This bill directly affects applicants seeking environmental permits and the public who wish to provide feedback on those applications. The key provision mandates the Department to extend comment periods to a minimum of 14 days when no timeframe is otherwise specified in statute or regulation. It applies to all applications where notice is published in a newspaper of general circulation, ensuring greater public engagement in environmental decision-making.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows terminally ill Maryland residents with decision-making capacity to request medication to end their lives through a structured process. It requires two physician consultations (including a consulting physician confirming the diagnosis), a mental health assessment, and written requests spaced at least 15 days apart. Pharmacists may dispense the medication only to qualifying patients, and the law clarifies that providers acting under these rules won’t violate assisted suicide laws. Death from self-administered medication will be recorded as natural causes for insurance and legal purposes.

Maddy summaryHB 1164 (Right to Rest Act) prohibits Maryland counties and municipalities from enacting or enforcing local laws that criminalize basic survival activities for homeless individuals, including resting or sleeping in public spaces (without obstructing access), protecting oneself from weather without blocking property, or sleeping in legally parked vehicles. The bill directly affects homeless individuals and local governments by banning ordinances that target these activities, which the bill states disproportionately impact homeless people and increase incarceration. Key provisions explicitly forbid local laws designed to prevent these actions, shifting focus from criminal penalties to addressing homelessness through housing and support services. The law takes effect October 1, 2025, and does not create new housing programs but restricts specific local ordinances.

Maddy summaryThis House Joint Resolution (HJ 6) is a symbolic statement by Maryland's General Assembly expressing support for nuclear disarmament efforts. It formally joins 73 other jurisdictions (including seven states and over 75 counties/municipalities) that have passed similar "Back from the Brink" resolutions. The resolution urges Maryland's U.S. Congressional delegation to cosponsor a federal resolution supporting the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and the five key policies of the Back from the Brink initiative (like ending hair-trigger alerts and ending first-use nuclear policies). It also calls on the U.S. President and Senate to endorse the international treaty banning nuclear weapons. As a resolution, it has no legal effect but serves as a formal position statement.

Maddy summaryHB 661 grants collective bargaining rights to specific faculty at Maryland's public higher education institutions, including full-time, part-time, and adjunct employees with academic responsibilities (such as teachers, researchers, and department heads) at the University System of Maryland, Morgan State University, and St. Mary’s College of Maryland. It establishes separate bargaining units for faculty at each institution but allows these units to voluntarily combine into a single bargaining unit. The bill excludes officers, supervisors, confidential employees, and student employees from coverage. This legislation amends Maryland’s labor laws to formally define "faculty" and create a framework for collective bargaining negotiations over wages, hours, and working conditions.

Maddy summaryHB 594 modifies Maryland's comparative negligence rules for motor vehicle accident cases involving "vulnerable individuals" (as defined in state law). It prevents a plaintiff from being barred from recovery solely due to their own negligence, unless their negligence was both a direct cause of their injury and greater than all defendants' combined negligence. Damages awarded under this law must be reduced proportionally based on the plaintiff's share of fault. The law applies only to cases arising on or after October 1, 2025, and does not affect past cases.

Maddy summaryHB 709 allows Maryland counties to adopt local laws requiring landlords to have a valid "good cause" reason (like nonpayment or lease violations) to evict tenants or refuse lease renewals, rather than allowing no-cause evictions. If a county adopts such a law, landlords must disclose in writing whether they are subject to it and provide specific ownership details (including property counts) using forms developed by the state Office of Tenant and Landlord Affairs. The bill also mandates that landlords include this disclosure in leases and court filings related to evictions. This applies only to tenants and landlords in counties that choose to implement these local protections, not statewide.

Maddy summaryHB 923 adds two new positions to Maryland's State Board of Education: an Educational Support Member and an Administrator Member. The Educational Support Member must be a non-certified, non-supervisory school employee in a bargaining unit, elected by their peers; the Administrator Member must be a principal or similar school administrator, elected by administrators. Both members would serve alongside the existing 13 regular members and can attend executive sessions but cannot vote on appeals to the State Board under §6-202. This bill amends Maryland’s education code to formalize these election processes and qualifications for the new roles.