Del. Jen Terrasa

Maddy summaryHB 303 creates a State Board of Common Ownership Community Managers within the Maryland Department of Labor to license and regulate professionals managing residential common ownership communities (like condominiums, cooperatives, and homeowners associations). It requires community managers to hold licenses, mandates that communities register with the Board under certain conditions, and requires contracts for management services to include specific provisions. The bill also imposes duties on contracting parties to maintain fidelity bonds or theft insurance and establishes a special fund to cover the Board’s operational costs. These changes directly affect community managers, property owners, and management companies operating in Maryland’s residential common ownership communities.

Maddy summaryHB 219 allows Baltimore City to tow, remove, or impound vehicles owned by new Maryland residents who fail to register with the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) and display valid Maryland license plates within 60 days of moving to the city. It directly affects new residents who do not comply with the existing 60-day registration grace period for out-of-state vehicles. The bill amends Maryland law to specifically authorize Baltimore City to enforce this requirement through towing or impoundment, rather than relying on general vehicle parking regulations. This change clarifies Baltimore City's authority to act during the 60-day registration window, aligning with current state law but specifying the city's enforcement power.

Maddy summaryHB 1198, the Monica Cooper Prerelease Act, requires Maryland to establish a dedicated prerelease facility for female incarcerated individuals in Baltimore City (on at least 3 acres) by 2027. The facility must serve women with low violence/escape risk and satisfactory behavior, offering evidence-based programs like education, vocational training, trauma-informed healthcare, and family reunification support. It mandates the Department of Public Safety to provide comprehensive rehabilitative services - including help with public health benefits applications - and report progress to lawmakers by 2026. This bill directly affects female inmates eligible for prerelease status, aiming to reduce recidivism through gender-responsive reentry planning.

Maddy summaryHB 76 amends Maryland law to expand death benefit eligibility for public safety officers. It specifically adds "9-1-1 specialists" to the list of covered personnel under Section 1(b)(1)(viii), meaning they now qualify for a $125,000 death benefit if killed while performing duties. The bill also modifies definitions of "performance of duties" for firefighters, hazardous material response teams, and other public safety roles. These changes apply to officers serving in Maryland's uniformed services, including those in the Afghanistan or Iraq conflicts. The bill does not alter benefit amounts but clarifies eligibility criteria for existing benefit programs.

Maddy summaryHB 1434 establishes a 13-member Food Deserts Workgroup to study areas in Maryland with limited access to affordable, nutritious food (known as "food deserts"). The Workgroup, including state agency secretaries, county representatives, and community stakeholders, must analyze health and economic impacts of food deserts and assess strategies to attract grocery stores by November 1, 2025. It will produce a report with recommendations for eliminating food deserts, to be submitted to the Governor and relevant legislative committees. The bill expires automatically on June 30, 2026, and does not create new funding or regulations - only a study process.

Maddy summaryHB 386 prohibits the use of pesticides containing PFAS chemicals (a class of fluorinated chemicals) at specific locations, including schools, healthcare facilities, day cares, residential lawns, and commercial mosquito spraying, beginning June 1, 2026. The Maryland Department of Agriculture must create and maintain a list of all PFAS pesticides by January 1, 2026, and distribute it to certified applicators. The bill also bans new registrations of PFAS pesticides for sale in Maryland starting June 1, 2027, and prohibits all use of these pesticides statewide after June 1, 2028. This directly affects pesticide manufacturers, certified applicators, and entities using pesticides in the specified locations.

Maddy summaryHB 763 requires Maryland public and qualifying nonpublic schools to include age-appropriate material about human and sex trafficking awareness and prevention in health curricula for students in grades 6 through 8. This amendment to existing education law builds upon current sexual abuse and assault prevention programs by adding specific content about trafficking. The law mandates that this material be taught by trained instructors and integrated into standard health education. The policy change applies to all schools participating in the Nonpublic Schools Textbook and Technology Grants Program, effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1495 requires health insurers and plans in Maryland to cover preventive ovarian cancer screenings - including MRI and CT scans - for individuals aged 45 and older, with no out-of-pocket costs like copays or deductibles. It applies to all health insurance policies issued in Maryland, except for those under high-deductible health plans (HDHPs), which may still require the deductible to apply for these screenings. The law takes effect on January 1, 2026, ensuring coverage without cost-sharing for eligible individuals. This directly affects health insurers, plans, and people over 45 seeking ovarian cancer screenings.

Maddy summaryHB 667 establishes November 1 as a permanent state legal holiday and employee holiday in Maryland, replacing the current requirement that the Governor annually proclaim the date. The bill repeals Section 7-420 (which mandated the Governor’s yearly proclamation for Maryland Emancipation Day) and updates two key sections of Maryland law to include November 1 as a fixed holiday for state employees and government operations. This means state offices will close and employees will receive the day off every year on November 1, without needing a new gubernatorial order each year. The change takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 694 requires Maryland county school boards to annually report (starting September 1, 2025) the number of public school main entrances not accessible for people with disabilities and not meeting federal ADA standards, publishing this data on their websites. It also mandates that local school systems send their updated emergency plans to the state Department of Education by September 1 each year (starting 2025), with the department analyzing these plans and reporting compliance status to the legislature by December 1 annually. The bill further ensures that students with disabilities have emergency evacuation plans included in their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or 504 plans. These provisions directly affect all Maryland public school systems and county boards of education.