Del. Jessica Feldmark

Maddy summaryHB 524 adds a new member to Maryland's State Board of Education, requiring one of the 14 regular board positions to be filled by an early childhood development professional with extensive experience in child care operations and curriculum. This member must be appointed by the Governor (with Senate consent) from a list of three qualified candidates provided by the Office of Child Care Advisory Council. The bill directly affects the State Board of Education, which sets K-12 education policy, and early childhood professionals who meet the specified qualifications. It does not change voting rights but ensures the board includes expertise in early childhood development.

Maddy summaryHB 804 requires condominium and cooperative housing communities (common ownership communities) with four or more dwelling units to create a smoking policy for all common areas like hallways, elevators, and entrances. The policy must be at least as strict as existing state or local smoking laws and must clearly state where smoking is allowed or banned, how to report violations, and any penalties. Crucially, the bill protects residents' rights to smoke inside their own units, regardless of the policy. It does not override stricter local smoking rules that communities might already have in place. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 703 allows evidence of autism spectrum disorder, developmental disability, or intellectual disability diagnoses to be used in criminal cases when relevant to the defendant's mental state at the time of the alleged offense. It requires judges to consider such diagnoses during pretrial release decisions for defendants with these conditions. The bill updates Maryland's evidence rules (under Article 10-926) and pretrial procedures (under Article 5-216) to incorporate these specific diagnoses. It references existing definitions of "developmental disability" and "intellectual disability" from health law, without altering those definitions. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 550 expands Maryland's local public campaign financing program to additional county elected offices, allowing counties to establish such systems for positions like State's Attorney, Sheriff, Register of Wills, and County Board of Education members. Counties must first implement financing for executive or legislative branches for at least one full election cycle before adding these new offices. The bill requires voluntary participation by candidates, mandates that public funds be used exclusively for the specific campaign, and sets strict rules for fund management and reporting. Counties must also provide necessary funding and staff to administer the expanded program.

Maddy summaryHB 465 requires the State Lottery and Gaming Control Commission to adopt regulations addressing problem gambling, including establishing a voluntary exclusion list for individuals seeking to avoid gambling venues and mandating that the Commission share contact information (with consent) with the Maryland Center for Excellence on Problem Gambling. The bill also prohibits individuals under 21 from participating in fantasy sports competitions or paying entry fees, and bans sports wagering operators from offering player-specific proposition bets. Additionally, it requires sports wagering licensees to provide certain transactional data to universities for research purposes. The bill does not directly relate to college athlete protections, as the title suggests, but focuses on gambling regulations and age restrictions.

Maddy summaryHB 340 authorizes Maryland's Attorney General to sue fossil fuel companies (specifically publicly traded entities deriving ≥50% revenue from coal/oil/gas with >$1 billion market cap) for climate-related harms caused by deceptive or unlawful actions. It creates a Climate Change Restitution Fund to pay for programs addressing climate impacts like flooding, heat islands, drought, and disease spread, funded by settlements/judgments from such lawsuits. The fund is nonlapsing and managed by the Department of Budget and Management, with interest earnings credited back to it. An Advisory Council advises on fund distribution to the Governor, Attorney General, and legislature.

Maddy summaryHB 417 establishes the Commission on Universal Health Care to study the feasibility of creating a state-run health care program covering all Maryland residents through a single-payer system. The commission, composed of appointed members from government, labor unions, healthcare organizations, and community groups, will examine how to provide comprehensive, equitable coverage - including preventive, mental, reproductive, and hospital care - regardless of income, immigration status, or health needs. It will analyze cost containment strategies, health equity gaps, and models from other states, but does not create the program itself. The commission must report its findings and recommendations to the Maryland General Assembly by 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 247 modifies Maryland's driver's license requirements for unaccompanied homeless youths under 19 who hold a learner's permit. It reduces the waiting period before they can take driver skills examinations from 9 months to 3 months, while maintaining other requirements like completing a 30-hour driver education course and 60 hours of supervised driving (including 10 nighttime hours). The bill specifically applies to youths determined homeless by a Maryland school liaison, Runaway and Homeless Youth Act program, or McKinney-Vento program. This change aims to provide greater access to driver's licenses for a vulnerable population without altering the core training and supervision standards.

Maddy summaryHB 187 creates a new felony offense for exploiting government benefits (such as Medicaid, SNAP, Social Security, or veterans' benefits) by knowingly recruiting, harboring, transporting, or obtaining individuals to appropriate their benefits for personal gain or to benefit others. It specifically prohibits using deception, coercion (like threatening harm or financial control), isolation, or exploitation tactics to take these benefits, and also bans profiting from such exploitation or aiding in it. Violations carry penalties of up to 25 years in prison, a $15,000 fine, or both. The law directly affects vulnerable individuals who receive government benefits and targets those who exploit them for financial gain. It takes effect on October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 215 authorizes Maryland's State Board of Elections to use ranked-choice voting in the 2028 statewide primary election for selecting a political party's candidate for President of the United States. If implemented, the State Board must develop and fund a voter education campaign about ranked-choice voting and submit a report on its use by January 1, 2029. The bill also requires the State Board to adopt regulations for reviewing and certifying election-supporting technology, such as electronic pollbooks and risk-limiting audit tools. These changes will affect how presidential nomination contests are conducted and how election technology is managed in Maryland.