Del. Linda Foley

Maddy summaryHB 1147, the "Public Service Commission Flexibility Act," gives Maryland's Public Service Commission (PSC) greater control over its internal operations. The bill requires the PSC to establish its own personnel management system (separate from the state system), set all employee compensation directly, and hire independent contractors for specialized work. It also mandates annual budget submissions to the Department of Budget and Management, annual financial audits, and exempts the PSC from certain state procurement laws and taxes. These changes directly affect PSC employees and the Commission’s administrative structure, streamlining its management while maintaining oversight requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 53 bans the import, sale, trade, possession, breeding, or exchange of specific wild animals in Maryland, including foxes, bears, alligators, non-domestic cats/dogs, primates, poisonous snakes, kangaroos, wallabies, wallaroos, and zebras. It directly affects owners of these animals, with exceptions for research facilities, licensed animal exhibitors, nonprofit sanctuaries meeting strict criteria, veterinarians, and short-term travelers. Existing owners of most banned animals may continue possession if they notify local authorities by August 1, 2006, while kangaroo/zebra owners have until December 1, 2026. The law takes effect October 1, 2026, and modifies existing criminal prohibitions without creating new penalties.

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 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 summaryHB 877 requires Maryland colleges and universities to submit annual reports to the Maryland Higher Education Commission by October 1st, starting in 2027, detailing student institutional debt. The reports must include total student enrollment broken down by demographic groups (like race, age, and residency), total debt amounts by type (tuition, fees, room/board), collection status (e.g., good standing vs. past due), debt charged off as uncollectible, and details on payment plans or debt collection efforts. Institutions face potential civil penalties for failing to submit reports or providing inaccurate data, with the Commission required to follow specific notice and hearing procedures before imposing penalties. This bill aims to increase transparency about student debt practices across Maryland's higher education institutions.

Maddy summaryHB 1558 establishes a new licensing and regulatory system for anesthesiologist assistants (AAs) in Maryland under the State Board of Physicians. The bill requires AAs to hold a license, graduate from an accredited program, pass certification exams, and work under direct physician supervision as defined by written agreements. Key provisions include setting qualifications for licensure, supervision standards (requiring physician physical proximity during critical procedures), continuing education requirements, and fee structures to cover regulatory costs. This bill directly affects AAs seeking to practice in Maryland and creates the framework for the Board to enforce these rules.

Maddy summaryHB 543 allows landlords to charge up to two months' rent as a security deposit if a tenant operates a family child care home (defined as caring for up to eight children in a residence). It prohibits landlords from unreasonably restricting or banning such homes on single-family rental properties and shields landlords from civil liability related to the child care operation. Tenants must provide written notice 60 days before starting, share their child care registration, and supply insurance naming the landlord and property owners as additional insureds. The bill also requires tenants to notify landlords immediately if they stop operating the home and permits landlords to mandate $1 million liability insurance coverage.

Maddy summaryHB 1435 requires Maryland health insurance companies, nonprofit health plans, and health maintenance organizations to cover hormone-related care for perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms. This includes hormone therapy, hormone-modulating medications, related lab testing, and clinical visits, with coverage not denied based on diagnosis (like menopause symptoms), age, or prior treatment history. The bill prohibits extra approval steps, stricter limitations, or higher costs for this care compared to similar treatments. It also mandates that coverage decisions follow evidence-based guidelines and the treating provider’s clinical judgment, ensuring timely access to care.

Maddy summaryHB 1268 requires new or renewed environmental permits for facilities in Maryland neighborhoods identified as "at-risk" (based on high pollution levels or proximity to pollution sources like power plants or landfills) to include a "burden report" detailing existing environmental health issues. The state Department of the Environment must deny permits if approval would worsen pollution stressors in these areas, using Maryland’s Environmental Justice Tool to define "at-risk" census tracts. It applies specifically to air quality permits for construction and water discharge permits for facilities like power plants, waste sites, or mining operations. The bill mandates public participation in permit reviews for these facilities and requires the Department to document its assessment for judicial review.

Maddy summaryHB 10 updates Maryland law to include qualified digital publications as valid platforms for publishing required legal advertisements and notices (like court filings or government announcements). It establishes specific standards for digital publications to qualify, requiring them to produce original local news content (at least one article weekly), employ staff dedicated to local reporting (30+ hours/week), and meet other criteria like public interest focus. This directly affects counties and municipalities that must publish such notices, ensuring digital outlets meet comparable standards to traditional print newspapers. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026, with special provisions for Prince George’s and Dorchester Counties.