Del. Anne Kaiser

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 1324 allows Maryland hospitals to sell unpaid patient medical debt to nonprofit organizations *only* if the nonprofit cancels the debt. This directly affects hospitals (requiring them to amend financial policies) and patients with outstanding medical bills who may have their debt forgiven through this process. Key provisions mandate hospitals to dismiss all pending legal actions for sold debt and prohibit any further collection efforts - including on judgments - on debt sold to qualifying nonprofits. The bill also updates hospital reporting requirements to include demographic data on debt collection practices, but its core change centers on enabling debt cancellation via nonprofit partnerships.

Maddy summaryHB 1097 establishes a 10-member workgroup to examine mail-in ballot accessibility, specifically focusing on the impact of requiring paper returns on voters with disabilities. The workgroup includes election officials, disability advocates (like Common Cause Maryland and the National Federation of the Blind), and experts in voting accessibility, security, and cybersecurity. It must assess current processes, research accessible alternatives from other jurisdictions, and evaluate options considering security, privacy, cost, and potential discrimination. The group must report findings and recommendations to the Governor and legislature by December 31, 2025, with the bill expiring June 30, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 1400, the "No Tax on Tips Act," requires restaurants and food service businesses to clearly disclose service fees (including their amount and whether they go to employees) on menus or visibly before ordering. It prohibits employers from counting tips toward meeting minimum wage requirements for tipped workers, ensuring they receive the full minimum wage without tip credits. Additionally, the bill allows tipped employees to subtract qualified tips from their state income tax bill (effectively making tips tax-free) and provides businesses a tax credit for wages and tips paid to employees. This directly affects tipped workers in restaurants and similar establishments, as well as the businesses that employ them.

Maddy summaryHB 812 allows nursing homes to direct their electronic health network or medical record vendors to release patient records to the nursing home’s business partners. Vendors must provide these records electronically in a standard format, without charging fees or delaying releases, to support patient care. The Maryland Attorney General can enforce this rule, and affected individuals or entities can sue for violations to seek damages or court orders. This bill modifies existing health code provisions and takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 845 creates a framework for Maryland to establish six community-based overdose and infectious disease prevention programs, approved by the Maryland Department of Health and located in areas with high drug use incidence (two urban, two suburban, two rural). These programs provide supervised consumption sites with health professionals, sterile drug supplies, overdose response (including naloxone), referrals to treatment and testing for HIV/hepatitis, and education on safe drug use and disposal. The bill allows programs to bill insurance for covered services, accept donations/grants, and prohibits arrests or penalties for individuals using these services. It also requires programs to coordinate with existing health services and maintain security while operating within specified locations.

Maddy summaryHB 696 eliminates citizenship requirements for members of certain Maryland state boards, committees, commissions, task forces, and workgroups. It replaces these requirements with a mandate that appointees should reflect the "full diversity of the State to the extent practicable." The bill affects multiple state entities across health, environment, labor, and other sectors by changing appointment rules in over 20 specific code sections. This policy change directly impacts who can be appointed to these bodies, prioritizing diversity considerations over citizenship status.

Maddy summaryHB 665 requires Maryland's Medicaid program (Maryland Medical Assistance Program) and certain health insurers to cover annual behavioral health wellness visits starting July 1, 2026. These visits, defined as clinical assessments to identify potential psychiatric or substance use disorders, must be covered regardless of whether a diagnosis is made. Insurers must reimburse providers for these visits at the same rate as visits resulting in a diagnosis. The bill applies to Medicaid recipients and health plans operating in Maryland, effective January 1, 2026, for new or renewed policies.

Maddy summaryHB 740 requires campaigns in Maryland to disclose when campaign materials (like images, audio, or videos) use AI-generated or altered content that misrepresents reality. It applies to candidates, campaign groups, and registered political entities distributing such materials within the state. The bill mandates clear, visible disclosures: for images, a text statement must appear in readable size; for audio, a spoken warning at the start and end; and for videos, on-screen text visible throughout. These disclosures must state that the media was altered to create a false impression of an event, speech, or appearance. The law amends Maryland’s election code to add this transparency requirement for synthetic media in campaign communications.

Maddy summaryHB 474 requires Maryland's Commission on Health Equity, working with the Department of Health, to create a health equity advisory committee. This committee will identify the top 10 health disparities affecting vulnerable groups (including racial minorities, unhoused individuals, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ communities), review annual hospital reports, and make recommendations. The bill also mandates that all licensed hospitals in Maryland submit annual health equity reports analyzing disparities in care access and outcomes for these groups, with hospital systems required to submit both disaggregated and aggregated reports. These reports must be published on hospital websites, directly affecting hospitals and aiming to address systemic health inequities.