Rep. Gary Simmons

Maddy summaryHB 721, the Uniformed Services Spouses Act, extends existing Maryland benefits for military service members and veterans to include their spouses. It adds "eligible spouse" as a defined term to priority registration at public colleges (within 15 years of service member’s last active duty, max four academic years), community college resource centers with tailored support, and senatorial/Delegate scholarships for spouses of active service members. The bill also modifies hiring preferences for state public service roles to include spouses of veterans. These changes directly affect spouses of active-duty service members and veterans living in Maryland who seek education, career support, or scholarships. The law updates multiple sections of Maryland’s education and employment codes to include spouses in eligibility criteria previously limited to service members themselves.

Maddy summaryHB 769 revises Maryland's rules for conditional licenses allowing social work applicants to practice while awaiting exam results. It directly affects applicants facing exam delays and their supervising social workers, requiring supervision during the conditional period. Key changes include: (1) allowing conditional licenses only for initial applicants facing exam unavailability, (2) creating a 1,500-hour supervised experience alternative to passing the exam for full licensure, and (3) setting a 12-24 month expiration period with no renewals. The bill also requires the State Board to track licenses and report annual data to legislative committees on conditional license usage.

Maddy summaryHB 895 prohibits large food retailers (defined as those with at least 15,000 square feet selling tax-exempt food) from using dynamic pricing (real-time price changes based on demand or AI) or consumer surveillance data to set prices for individual shoppers. It also bans retailers from using data about protected characteristics (like race or gender) to deny discounts or services to specific customers. The bill further protects union rights by preventing retailers from weakening employee benefits under existing collective bargaining agreements without negotiation. Violations would be treated as unfair trade practices under Maryland’s Consumer Protection Act, subject to enforcement and penalties.

Maddy summaryHB 980 (Kanaiyah's Law) creates the Office of the Child Welfare Ombudsman within the Attorney General's office to handle complaints about Maryland's child welfare system. It requires juvenile courts to include specific information-sharing requirements in guardianship orders and expands criminal background checks to cover all adults living in a child's guardian's home. The bill also prohibits unlicensed placements for certain children, protects complainants from retaliation, and exempts certain complaint records from public disclosure. These changes directly affect child welfare agencies, guardians, and families navigating the system, aiming to improve transparency and accountability.

Maddy summaryHB 1357 requires manufacturers of menstrual hygiene products (such as pads, tampons, and menstrual cups) sold in Maryland to list all ingredients on product packaging. The ingredient list must be displayed prominently in clear, easy-to-read text and in the order of the amount present (from most to least). Violations would be treated as unfair or deceptive trade practices under Maryland law, subject to enforcement and penalties. The requirement takes effect on October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 338 expands the jurisdiction of the Maryland Capitol Police (a unit within the Department of General Services) to cover all state-owned or leased buildings and the surrounding area up to 2,000 feet (previously 1,000 feet). It grants the Capitol Police statewide authority to enforce criminal laws and traffic regulations, with a requirement to notify specific local law enforcement agencies after enforcement actions. This change directly affects the Capitol Police by broadening their operational scope and impacts local police departments that must receive notifications. The bill does not alter the Capitol Police's structure or staffing but clarifies their jurisdictional boundaries under state law.

Maddy summaryHB 393 requires health insurers, nonprofit health plans, HMOs, and managed care organizations in Maryland to cover scalp cooling systems when they provide coverage for chemotherapy treatments for cancer. This applies directly to cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy who use scalp cooling to prevent hair loss, and to the insurers that must now include this coverage. The bill defines scalp cooling systems as medical devices designed for repeated use to preserve hair during cancer treatment. Coverage must be provided for these systems as part of chemotherapy treatment plans, effective January 1, 2027. The law amends Maryland’s Insurance Article (Section 15-864) to mandate this coverage for qualifying health plans.

Maddy summaryHB 637 ("The Vax Act") requires Maryland's Secretary of Health to issue science-based recommendations for immunizations, screenings, and preventive services using guidance from major medical organizations like the CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics. It expands pharmacists' authority to administer flu, COVID-19, and emergency vaccines to patients aged 3 and older (previously limited to 18+ for some vaccines) after completing specific training. The bill also mandates that health insurance plans cover these recommended services without cost-sharing for patients. This directly affects pharmacists, health insurers, and Maryland residents seeking preventive care, particularly children and adults needing routine vaccinations.

Maddy summaryHB 720 repeals the expiration date for the Douglas J. J. Peters Veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq Conflicts Scholarship, removing the current cutoff of June 30, 2030, for awarding new scholarships and eliminating restrictions on renewing scholarships for recipients who received their initial award before that date. This change directly affects eligible veterans, active service members, or their dependents (spouses, children) who served in the Afghanistan or Iraq conflicts and meet Maryland residency and enrollment requirements at participating institutions. The bill maintains all existing provisions, including the 50% tuition coverage limit, 2.5 GPA requirement, and 5-year full-time renewal period. It ensures the scholarship program continues indefinitely without time-based restrictions on new awards or renewals.

Maddy summaryHB 892 allows descendant community organizations (DCOs) to legally challenge cemetery owners who propose selling, transferring, or changing the use of cemetery land. Currently, only cemetery owners or government entities could initiate such actions; this bill expands standing to DCOs - groups with cultural ties to interred individuals or ancestral connections. The law amends Maryland statutes (Business Regulation §5-101 and Real Property §14-121) to require courts to consider DCO concerns when reviewing these proposals. This change directly affects cemetery owners seeking to repurpose land and DCOs seeking to preserve burial sites as permanent sacred spaces.