Del. Gary Simmons

Maddy summaryHB 687, the Community-Oriented Policing Act, prohibits Maryland law enforcement agencies from setting or using arrest, citation, or warrant quotas for officer evaluations, promotions, or discipline. The bill specifically bans agencies from requiring officers to meet specific activity targets (like a set number of arrests) or using those numbers as the primary factor in personnel decisions. It also clarifies that agencies may still use quantitative data for management purposes, as long as it doesn’t dictate officer evaluations. The law amends Maryland’s Public Safety Code and takes effect October 1, 2025. It directly affects all local and state law enforcement agencies and their officers in Maryland.

Maddy summaryHB 1422 establishes the Maryland Reparations Commission to study and recommend benefits for individuals whose ancestors were enslaved in Maryland or were impacted by historical inequitable government policies (such as housing segregation and redlining during the Jim Crow era). The Commission, composed of 15 members including state officials, historians, community representatives, and public members, will examine U.S. reparations models and potential benefits like monetary compensation, tax rebates, or housing assistance. It must submit a preliminary report by January 2027 and a final report by November 2027 to the Governor and General Assembly. The bill focuses solely on research and recommendations, not on implementing specific reparations.

Maddy summaryHB 1431 restricts federal immigration enforcement agencies from accessing Maryland state and local government databases without a valid warrant. It requires state/local law enforcement agencies, DMV, and other government units to deny federal requests for personal information, photos, or facial recognition data unless accompanied by a federal or Maryland court warrant. The bill also mandates annual reporting to the legislature on all such federal requests received, including how many were denied or granted with warrants. This directly affects Maryland state agencies, local governments, and federal immigration officers seeking access to these databases.

Maddy summaryHB 1006, the "Protecting Sensitive Locations Act," requires Maryland's Attorney General to create guidelines limiting immigration enforcement at specific sensitive locations like schools, hospitals, places of worship, childcare centers, and domestic violence shelters. State agencies operating at these locations must either adopt policies aligned with the guidelines or submit written justification and existing policies if they choose not to comply. The bill directly affects all Maryland state agencies managing facilities listed in the law, such as public schools, community health centers, and emergency shelters. Its key mechanism is mandating agency adherence to the guidelines or transparent documentation of non-compliance. The law aims to reduce immigration enforcement disruptions at places where vulnerable populations seek essential services.

Maddy summaryHB 868, nicknamed "Granny's Law," allows personal representatives (executors) to petition courts to interpret wills regarding health-related legacies based on the decedent’s intent to address health equity. It applies when a will leaves money to health providers or charities but doesn’t explicitly require it for health equity, even if the decedent lived with health equity interests. The bill creates a rebuttable presumption that such legacies must address health equity unless proven otherwise, and requires beneficiaries to show how the legacy was used for that purpose within three years. It also lets courts defer to personal representatives who include specific language in wills authorizing them to act without court approval for health equity efforts. The law applies retroactively to wills probated after a certain date.

Maddy summaryHB 55 allows individuals with completed misdemeanor or felony sentences to petition courts for expungement (clearing criminal records) at any time if they demonstrate "good cause." Courts must consider factors like the crime's nature, the person's rehabilitation, public safety risk, and how the conviction impacts employment, housing, and education. If denied, the decision cannot be appealed, and the person cannot reapply for five years for the same conviction. This bill directly affects people with past convictions seeking to improve their job prospects, housing options, and access to public assistance.

Maddy summaryHB 1485 expands the jurisdiction of the Maryland Capitol Police by increasing the protected area around state-owned or leased buildings from 1,000 feet to 2,000 feet in all directions. This directly affects Capitol Police officers, who gain authority to enforce laws across this larger perimeter, and local law enforcement agencies, which must be notified when Capitol Police exercise statewide powers outside their typical jurisdiction. The bill amends Sections 4-601 and 4-605 of Maryland’s State Finance and Procurement code to reflect this change while maintaining existing notification requirements for local police chiefs or sheriffs. It does not create new enforcement powers but adjusts the geographic scope of existing authority. The change takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 531, the College Disability Education Act, requires all Maryland public colleges and universities to provide remote learning accommodations for students with chronic illnesses or autoimmune conditions starting in the 2026-2027 academic year. It mandates specific accommodations like livestreamed classes, recorded lectures, and virtual office hours, while allowing institutions discretion over technology platforms. Public institutions may apply for waivers due to financial hardship, rural location, or being newly established, and the Maryland Higher Education Commission will administer a grant program to fund technology and staff training for compliance. Institutions must survey eligible students annually on accommodation effectiveness and meet a 2029 deadline for most degree programs to offer remote options.

Maddy summaryHB 1132 requires Maryland public school principals to investigate every student fight or physical struggle. It prohibits school staff from disciplining students who, after an investigation, more likely than not used reasonable force to protect themselves or escape an attack. If a student was wrongly disciplined for such an incident, the school must remove all related records from their disciplinary file. This bill directly affects students involved in school fights, school administrators, and the accuracy of student disciplinary records.

Maddy summaryHB 1354 requires cemetery owners (including registered cemeterians, permit holders, and exempt owners) to obtain approval from Maryland’s Cemetery Oversight Director before selling or transferring a cemetery. Owners must submit a preservation plan identifying descendants of buried individuals, families who bought unused plots, and cemetery maintainers, plus provide public notice through newspaper ads, physical notices in the cemetery, and a public meeting. This directly affects cemetery owners seeking to sell, potential buyers, and families with burial plots. The bill also establishes rules for government acquisition of abandoned cemeteries.