Del. Jen Terrasa

Maddy summaryHB 1367 requires lead testing professionals to submit verified reports of test results to the Department, property owners, and tenants, and prohibits property owners from using related parties for these inspections. It imposes a civil penalty of up to $50,000 per day for anyone who falsifies information in these required reports. The law applies directly to lead inspectors, testing professionals, and property owners who employ them. Violations are treated as separate offenses for each day the false report remains in effect. The bill amends Maryland’s lead inspection laws to strengthen accountability for false documentation, effective October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1 requires Maryland's Department of Transportation to create and implement training for transportation sector employees (including those at transit stations, airports, ports, and rest stops) on identifying and reporting suspected human trafficking. Employers must certify employees have completed the training by January 1, 2026, and establish reporting procedures to local agencies and trafficking prevention policies. The bill also protects employees and employers from liability for good-faith reports or responses to suspected trafficking incidents. Additionally, it mandates bilingual safety announcements about trafficking resources at transportation hubs.

Maddy summaryHB 731 establishes the Maryland Connectivity Coalition to coordinate wildlife protection efforts, creates a Wildlife Connectivity Fund for habitat projects, and requires the State Highway Administration to include wildlife data in transportation planning. It directly affects the State Highway Administration, county planners, and wildlife conservation efforts by mandating that counties consider habitat connectivity when updating local plans. Key provisions include prioritizing highway crossings in high-collision areas and locations dividing habitats of threatened/endangered species. The bill aims to reduce vehicle-wildlife collisions and protect species from habitat fragmentation through coordinated planning and funding.

Maddy summaryHB 755 prohibits cooperative housing corporations, condominium associations, and homeowners associations in Maryland from requiring sensitive personal information as a condition for accessing shared recreational areas like pools, playgrounds, or game rooms. The bill defines "sensitive information" as Social Security numbers, tax IDs, birth certificates, racial/ethnic origin, citizenship status, or religious beliefs - excluding government-issued photo IDs like driver’s licenses. It directly affects community associations and their members, unit occupants, and their guests or children who use common recreational spaces. The law takes effect October 1, 2025, ensuring residents cannot be denied access based on disclosure of the listed sensitive data.

Maddy summaryHB 9 clarifies key terms for Maryland's Food System Resiliency Council, defining "healthy food priority areas" as predominantly lower-income neighborhoods with limited access to affordable healthy food, and "wasted food" to include donations, composting, animal feed, and other management methods. The bill updates reporting requirements for the Council, removing outdated mandates and adjusting ongoing reporting obligations. It directs the Council to address food insecurity (especially post-pandemic), develop equity-focused policies to eliminate racial disparities and food deserts, and create a strategic plan to boost local food production and procurement. The Council must collaborate with affected communities and food organizations, with reports to the General Assembly. This bill primarily affects the Council, local food organizations, and residents in underserved food-access areas.

Maddy summaryHB 506, the Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act, creates the Maryland Leaders in Environmentally Engaged Farming (LEEF) Program to reduce nutrients in the Chesapeake Bay watershed through voluntary farm conservation practices. The bill establishes a special fund for the program, redefines "healthy soils" for existing soil programs, and exempts certain fishing license holders from needing food establishment licenses. Key provisions include tiered recognition for farms adopting conservation practices, requirements for the Department of Environment to authorize water quality trading credits, and new rules for fisheries management and aquaculture leases. The bill directly affects Maryland farmers, state environmental agencies, and fishing industry participants by changing how conservation incentives and regulations are implemented.

Maddy summaryHB 470 prohibits drivers from obscuring, modifying, or blocking vehicle registration plates in a way that hides the plate number or makes identification difficult. It directly affects vehicle owners who currently use plate covers, tinted shields, or other modifications that prevent clear visibility of license plates. Violations are classified as moving violations, subjecting offenders to points on their driving record under Maryland law. The bill takes effect on October 1, 2025, and amends Maryland's Transportation Code to clarify this prohibition.

Maddy summaryHB 428 prohibits medical providers from placing liens on owner-occupied homes for unpaid medical debt. It requires courts to specify if a money judgment involves medical debt and mandates including the defendant’s primary residence address in such complaints. The bill adds a new provision (§ 14-203.1) stating that liens on homes where owners live cannot be created for medical debt, and courts must remove such illegal liens while potentially awarding damages. This applies prospectively from October 1, 2025, directly affecting Maryland homeowners and medical providers seeking debt collection.

Maddy summaryHB 1322 requires all operators of gasoline-powered vessels on Maryland waters to have carbon monoxide warning labels clearly visible near the transom and helm of the vessel. This law directly affects boat operators and owners who operate gasoline-powered vessels, amending Maryland's State Boat Act to mandate these labels. The key provision specifies the exact locations where labels must be affixed to warn of carbon monoxide risks. The law takes effect on October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 516 strengthens privacy protections for footage captured by Maryland's automated traffic enforcement systems (like speed cameras, school bus monitors, and traffic signal cameras). It requires agencies to deny public access to recorded images unless specific exceptions apply, such as for traffic enforcement investigations or court proceedings. The bill also prohibits state/local agencies from using these images for non-enforcement purposes without a warrant, subpoena, or court order, and mandates data destruction after a set period. This replaces and amends existing Maryland law to clarify privacy safeguards for automated enforcement programs.