Del. Bernice Mireku-North

Maddy summaryHB 518 requires Maryland's State Lottery and Gaming Control Commission to create a voluntary exclusion list for individuals seeking to limit their gambling access, with consent-based sharing of contact information with the Maryland Center for Excellence on Problem Gambling. It prohibits fantasy sports betting for those under 21 years old and bans sports wagering licensees from offering player-specific proposition bets (e.g., wagers on individual player performance). The bill also mandates that sports wagering licensees provide transactional data to certain universities for unspecified purposes. These provisions directly affect gamblers, fantasy sports operators, and sports betting businesses across Maryland.

Maddy summaryHB 627 establishes the Commission on History, Culture, and Civics in Education to improve how Maryland public schools teach U.S. and Maryland history, culture, and civics. The commission, composed of 16 members representing diverse groups (including Indigenous tribes, LGBTQIA+ communities, disabled individuals, teachers, and racial/ethnic communities), must examine contributions of marginalized groups and make recommendations to the State Board of Education. Key provisions require the commission to examine topics like Native American contributions, LGBTQIA+ history, and disability community impacts, while ensuring recommendations promote equitable learning for all students. The commission must publicly share meeting materials, reports, and livestream sessions online, with members serving four-year terms without pay but receiving travel reimbursements. This bill directly affects Maryland public school curricula and student learning experiences through its recommendations.

Maddy summaryHB 531 establishes a task force to study existing STEM and robotics programs in Maryland public schools and other states. The task force, composed of state officials, school representatives, and nonprofit leaders, will collect data on program structures, funding, and impacts to assess the feasibility of creating statewide competitive robotics programs in public high schools. It must submit recommendations by December 15, 2026, including whether robotics should be established as a varsity sport in all public high schools. The bill directly affects Maryland public schools by initiating a formal review process for potential program expansion.

Maddy summaryHB 386 modifies Maryland's funding for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) by requiring the Governor to withhold 35% of annual grants under specific conditions. It directly affects WMATA and Maryland's budget process, mandating that the Governor withhold funds if WMATA fails to submit required reports (like safety assessments and financial data) or if it doesn't develop a rail signaling workforce transition plan by July 2028. The bill also requires WMATA to provide detailed annual reports on safety, ridership, finances, and capital investments to trigger full funding. If WMATA receives a modified audit opinion without a corrective plan, or misses the workforce plan deadline, the Governor must withhold the funds until these conditions are met.

Maddy summaryHB 1310 allows high school students in Maryland who experience the death of a parent due to reproductive cancer (breast, cervical, or uterine cancer) to request a standardized notation on their official transcript. This notation, which must use privacy-protective language like "Documented Compelling Personal Circumstance" or "Exceptional Hardship Acknowledgement," explains potential impacts on academic performance, achievement, or attendance. Schools must add the notation upon receiving a written request with proof of the parent’s death (via death certificate or healthcare provider letter), and counselors must inform eligible students and surviving parents about this option. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, and does not require schools to disclose the specific nature of the loss.

Maddy summaryHB 1182 allows Maryland public and nonpublic schools to coordinate with students and parents to use locative devices (such as wearable trackers) for monitoring a student's location during elopement (leaving campus without permission) or wandering (leaving classroom area without permission) incidents. This requires documented behavior in the student's Individualized Education Program (IEP) or behavior plan, written parental consent, and limits data collection to what's necessary for addressing the behavior while protecting privacy through safeguards. The State Department of Education must issue guidance on implementation and privacy protections, but the bill does not require schools to provide devices or families to purchase or use them.

Maddy summaryHB 1274 authorizes Maryland public school systems to award three types of diplomas to deceased students: standard diplomas (for students near graduation in 12th grade), posthumous honorary diplomas (for students in 11th/12th grade close to graduation), and in memoriam diplomas (for students in grades K-10 or county residents). To qualify, students must have been enrolled in a Maryland public school, met credit requirements, and been in good standing at the time of death. Schools may only issue these diplomas upon written request from a parent, guardian, or next of kin, and all awarded diplomas are ceremonial with no academic credit or impact on graduation rates. The bill amends Maryland’s education code to establish these specific eligibility criteria and procedures.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Maryland's legislative scholarship programs to exempt certain applicants from competitive examination requirements and to allow scholarship funds to be used for real estate appraisal training. Specifically, it removes the exam requirement for students who have completed at least one year at an eligible institution, those who graduated high school five years prior, applicants to approved private career colleges, and community college students. Additionally, it authorizes senatorial and Delegate scholarships to cover expenses for completing the Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria program. The changes apply to both new scholarship applications and the existing scholarship programs, affecting current and future recipients who meet the specified eligibility criteria.

Maddy summaryHB 628 establishes a program providing $1,000 monthly payments for three years to young adults who were in out-of-home care (like foster care) on their 18th birthday, with birthdays on or after October 1, 2026. Payments cannot be counted as income for Medicaid, the Maryland Earned Income Tax Credit, or state/federal financial aid for education. The Department of Human Services must report annually on participants' income, location, employment, and housing status starting October 2027. The program will run from October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2031, with automatic termination after that date.

Maddy summaryHB 410 requires food manufacturers, processors, and retailers in Maryland to use standardized date labels on packaged food starting July 1, 2027. It mandates replacing "Sell By" with "Best If Used By" for quality dates and "Use By" for safety dates, while prohibiting the sale of items labeled with "Sell By" after that date. The bill also requires the Maryland Department of Health to create and post educational materials about these labels online by July 2027. This affects all food businesses selling packaged products to consumers, excluding infant formula, beer, and malt beverages.