Del. Pam Guzzone

Maddy summaryHB 448, the Modernization of Military Laws Act, updates Maryland laws to better support veterans, active service members, and military families. It standardizes key definitions like "veteran" and "uniformed services" across all state laws, requires the Secretary of Veterans and Military Families to create transition support policies, and eases voting access by allowing military members to file candidacy certificates remotely with an affidavit. The bill also updates housing and employment discrimination protections for veterans and clarifies election rules for service members. These changes directly affect military personnel, veterans, and their families across Maryland’s state government and election systems.

Maddy summaryHB 1069 prohibits Maryland insurers from including clauses that grant them sole discretion to interpret policy terms in health insurance, life insurance, and annuity contracts. It applies to all insurers, nonprofit health plans, and health maintenance organizations (HMOs) selling policies in Maryland. The law amends state insurance regulations to ban such clauses, requiring interpretations to align with Maryland law rather than insurer preferences. The prohibition applies to policies issued, delivered, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 337 requires the Comptroller to distribute $500,000 annually from Maryland's Racetrax lottery game proceeds to Anne Arundel County, Howard County, and the City of Laurel. This funding is tied to Laurel Race Course's operations and must be used for community services like health care, addiction support, counseling, and transportation for residents near the racetrack or backstretch workers. Payments stop if Laurel Race Course ceases live racing or if backstretch workers no longer live on the property. Anne Arundel County must allocate its share to nonprofits serving backstretch workers, including those providing Spanish-language services.

Maddy summaryHB 32 establishes a Forensic Review Board within the Maryland Department of Health to review eligibility for release for people found not criminally responsible (NCR) at state facilities. The bill requires each facility to create a board of licensed healthcare providers that must annually assess NCR individuals and recommend to courts whether they should be discharged or released conditionally. It also creates a Community Forensic Aftercare Program to monitor people on conditional release. These changes replace current procedures under Maryland’s Criminal Procedure and Health laws, adding specific annual review requirements and written record-keeping for release decisions. The bill directly affects NCR patients in state facilities and their release pathways.

Maddy summaryHB 300 changes how Maryland reimburses nonprofit organizations for indirect costs on state-funded grants and contracts. It requires nonprofits to receive reimbursement at the same rate they use for federal grants, or at a minimum of 10% of modified direct costs if no federal rate applies. This applies to nonprofits (tax-exempt under 501(c)(3), (4), or (6)) receiving state funds for services, whether the funds are solely from the state or combined with nonfederal sources. The law takes effect on October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1424, the "Protect Our Federal Workers Act," expands state financial assistance to Maryland residents affected by federal government disruptions beyond just shutdowns. It renames the "Federal Government Shutdown Employee Assistance Loan Fund" to the "Federal Government Employee Assistance Loan Fund" and broadens eligibility to include current federal employees not paid during shutdowns *and* Maryland residents recently terminated due to federal office closures, relocations, or mass layoffs. The bill allows funds from the state’s Catastrophic Event Account to cover costs for these individuals, administered by the Maryland Department of Labor. This changes existing law to provide loans for both ongoing shutdowns and post-layoff financial hardship from federal facility changes.

Maddy summaryHB 514 revises Maryland’s chiropractic licensing rules to update the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners’ structure and oversight. It changes board membership (requiring 5 licensed chiropractors and 2 consumer members), adds authority for unannounced office inspections when complaints allege violations of CDC infection control guidelines, and mandates health provider exams for licensees or applicants under specific circumstances. The bill directly affects chiropractors seeking licensure or renewal, chiropractic offices, and the Board itself. Key changes include streamlined board appointments, enhanced compliance inspections, and new requirements for health assessments to ensure public safety.

Maddy summaryHB 573 updates Maryland's requirements for expanded function dental assistants (EFDA). It requires the State Board of Dental Examiners to approve specific types of training programs (like accredited college courses or programs from the Dental Assisting National Board) for EFDA certification, and mandates that initial certification courses offer online options when appropriate. The bill also sets clear rules for reinstating expired EFDA certifications, requiring completion of continuing education (which must include online options), timely renewal applications, and payment of fees. These changes directly affect dental assistants seeking or renewing their EFDA certification in Maryland.

Maddy summaryHB 1027 creates a workgroup to study implementing a statewide 3-1-1 nonemergency telephone system in Maryland. The workgroup, composed of 12 members including state agency representatives, county officials, and industry stakeholders, will review existing 3-1-1 services, best practices from other states, and potential solutions for a statewide system. It will develop recommendations on oversight, feasibility, and a virtual portal, reporting findings to the Governor and legislature by November 1, 2025. This bill does not establish the 3-1-1 system itself but directs a study to inform future policy. The workgroup expires June 30, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 345 would allow social workers licensed in Maryland to practice in other states that join the Social Work Licensure Compact without needing separate licenses. The bill establishes a Compact Commission to manage mutual recognition of licenses, reduce duplicate requirements, and ensure accountability for social workers practicing across state lines. This directly affects licensed social workers, military families (who benefit from easier mobility), and clients seeking services in multiple states. The key mechanism is creating a standardized system for license portability while requiring social workers to follow the laws of the state where the client is located during service.