Del. Lily Qi

Maddy summaryHB 382 (Maryland Broadband Opportunity and Fairness Act) requires broadband providers serving 10,000+ Maryland customers to establish low-cost internet programs by December 1, 2026. These programs must offer minimum speeds of 100/20 Mbps (for households of two or fewer) or 200/20 Mbps (for larger households), at least 1.2 terabytes of data, and low latency for eligible low-income consumers. Eligibility includes households meeting federal poverty guidelines (350% of federal poverty level), qualifying for SNAP/food assistance, Medicaid, or low-income energy programs. Providers may raise prices by no more than 2% annually with 30 days’ notice, and cannot require automatic payment plans for program enrollment.

Maddy summaryHB 1472, the Better Small Business Employee Benefit Act of 2026, exempts professional employer organizations (PEOs) from certain health benefit plan requirements when providing coverage to small employers in Maryland. The bill requires PEOs to provide written disclosure of specific plan details to small businesses before offering health benefits. This change modifies Maryland’s insurance laws to remove the requirement for PEOs to offer plans through the state’s health benefit exchange, while ensuring transparency for small employers. The bill directly affects small businesses that use PEOs for employee health benefits and the PEOs themselves.

Maddy summaryThis Maryland bill (HB 1126) prevents health insurers and managed care plans from restricting patients' choice of laboratories. It requires insurers to allow patients to select any participating lab without limitations, prohibits denying labs participation if they agree to plan terms (like service standards and reimbursement rates), and bans extra fees for lab services that other patients don't pay. The law applies to all health benefit plans covering laboratory services in Maryland and takes effect October 1, 2026. It directly affects insurers, participating labs, and patients seeking lab services.

Maddy summaryHB 1596 establishes the Maryland Growth Initiative within the Maryland Technology Development Corporation to support start-up companies in Maryland that are transitioning from early development to scaling. The Initiative will identify and prioritize companies in this growth phase, with special focus on those previously funded by Maryland Innovation Initiative, other Corporation programs, or minority-owned businesses. It creates a permanent $5 million annual fund administered by the Corporation, which may use private investment, interest earnings, and state appropriations to provide post-seed funding, business expertise, and infrastructure support - without replacing existing funding sources. The fund is designed to help companies scale locally instead of relocating.

Maddy summaryHB 1157 requires health insurance carriers in Maryland to annually report detailed data on mental health and substance use coverage to the Insurance Commissioner using a standardized template. This data includes access to services by facility type (e.g., outpatient, inpatient), provider type (e.g., psychiatrists, psychologists), and demographics (e.g., youth vs. adult, in-person vs. telehealth), along with network accuracy and availability. The Commissioner must make this data publicly accessible via a website with interactive dashboards. The law directly affects all health insurance companies offering plans in Maryland, aiming to improve transparency about coverage gaps in mental health care.

Maddy summaryHB 307 modifies the Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund by directing the Comptroller to administer the Fund under the Office of Social Equity’s guidance instead of previous oversight. It requires counties to consult with the Office when adjusting their fund distribution plans and clarifies that county expenditures from the Fund must be supplemental (not replacing) existing local programs. The bill also updates reporting requirements and reaffirms that Fund money cannot fund law enforcement or supplant other public services. These changes aim to align Fund administration with social equity goals while maintaining its focus on community-based initiatives like housing, job training, and behavioral health services in historically impacted areas.

Maddy summaryHB 723 requires Maryland electric companies to submit cost containment plans to the Public Service Commission by January 1, 2027, and every three years thereafter. These plans must detail strategies to reduce peak electricity demand through specific mechanisms, including "nonwires solutions" (like distributed energy resources and grid-enhancing technologies), demand flexibility programs, and grid flexibility-enabled building electrification. The bill mandates that plans avoid or minimize capital spending on infrastructure while improving system reliability and efficiency. This directly affects all electric distribution and transmission companies operating in Maryland.

Maddy summaryHB 1618 requires Maryland's Department of the Environment, working with the Department of Commerce, to create streamlined permitting procedures by October 1, 2027. It directly affects businesses primarily engaged in manufacturing (sectors 31, 32, and 33 under U.S. industry classification), such as food processing, chemical production, and machinery. Key provisions mandate a 60-day decision timeline on permit applications, assign a dedicated navigator to assist applicants, and establish a single digital portal for submissions. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026, aiming to reduce delays in environmental permitting for qualifying businesses.

Maddy summaryHB 1250 regulates how chatbots are designed, operated, and made available to users in Maryland. It requires developers and operators to obtain clear user permission before collecting data, display specific safety warnings (especially for minors), and follow strict privacy rules for handling personal information. The bill also treats chatbots as "products" for liability purposes, meaning users can pursue legal claims if chatbots cause harm, and mandates that state agencies develop educational materials about behavioral health services. These rules apply to all chatbots used in Maryland, including those operated by government entities.

Maddy summaryHB 859, the Maryland Financial Innovation Act of 2026, prohibits state agencies and local governments from restricting certain digital asset activities, such as accepting cryptocurrency for payments, using self-hosted wallets, operating blockchain nodes, or participating in staking. It specifically clarifies that "staking as a service" (where a provider manages staking infrastructure for users) does not constitute a security under Maryland law, exempting it from securities registration requirements. The bill preserves existing authority for the Commissioner of Financial Regulation (under the Maryland Money Transmission Act) and the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division to enforce relevant laws. This directly affects financial institutions, crypto service providers, and consumers engaging with digital assets in Maryland, aiming to create a clearer regulatory framework for innovation.