Del. Sarah Wolek

Maddy summaryHB 704 establishes Maryland's Community Eligibility Provision Expansion Program within the State Department of Education. It provides state funding to cover the difference between federal reimbursement rates for free and paid school meals, directly supporting Maryland schools with high poverty rates (25%+ students qualifying for free meals) that participate in the federal child nutrition program. The state will appropriate $10 million annually starting in fiscal year 2028 to complement federal funds, with funds distributed based on school poverty concentration and geographic diversity. Schools must report on program outcomes, meal debt resolution, and reasons for opting out of federal eligibility, with annual reports published online.

Maddy summaryHB 965 establishes the Office of Health Care Quality Stakeholder Advisory Council to improve oversight of health care facilities in Maryland. The council, composed of 15 members including legislative appointees, frontline workers, facility residents, advocacy groups, and industry representatives, provides feedback to the Office of Health Care Quality and notifies the Secretary of Health if oversight is deemed negligent. Key mechanisms include biannual public meetings (with live streaming and public comment), annual data reporting on facility inspections and complaints, and a requirement for the council to compile feedback and recommendations into an annual report to the Governor and General Assembly starting in 2027. This bill directly affects the Office of Health Care Quality, health care facilities, and stakeholders by adding structured accountability to oversight processes.

Maddy summaryHB 935 requires Maryland to establish a dedicated prerelease facility for female incarcerated individuals, directly affecting women eligible for prerelease programs at the Maryland Correctional Institution for Women. The bill mandates a separate facility meeting specific criteria: at least 3 acres, not within 1 mile of other prisons, and designed to house 1.25 times the 2024 prerelease-eligible population. It requires the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to provide comprehensive rehabilitative services (including gender-responsive programming) and report progress to legislative committees by a specified deadline. The facility must operate by June 1, 2023, with the Department of General Services directing procurement for its construction.

Maddy summaryHB 702 directs that a portion of the Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Fund - funded by compliance fees paid by electric companies - be used to provide energy bill refunds for members of cooperative housing corporations and condominium unit owners in 2027. These refunds specifically target residents who did not receive a similar refund in 2025 under prior legislation. The refunds must be issued to the co-op or condo board, which then distributes them to individual residents, with half paid during a peak summer month and half during a peak winter month. This ensures co-op and condo residents receive equitable energy cost relief previously available to other residential customers.

Maddy summaryHB 800 updates Maryland’s education law to explicitly include "student well-being and human flourishing" alongside behavioral health services. It amends sections of the education code (including 5-212, 6-122, and 7-447) to define student well-being as progress across eight dimensions: social, environmental, physical, emotional, spiritual, occupational, intellectual, and financial well-being. The bill requires school staff training to recognize issues affecting these areas and directs the Maryland Consortium on Coordinated Community Supports to advance student well-being initiatives. It directly affects Maryland public schools, staff, and students by integrating holistic well-being into existing education funding, training, and support systems.

Maddy summaryHB 539 creates a pathway for individuals lacking formal proof of educational credentials to become child care teachers in Maryland centers serving preschool or school-age children (3+ years old). It requires the State Board of Education to establish a process where these individuals can be hired during a 6-month probationary period while completing approved pre-service training (90 hours total). To qualify, they must hold an associate or bachelor’s degree in specific fields (e.g., early childhood education, child development) and complete training within six months of hire, or complete 45 hours before hire and finish the rest within six months. Child care centers must terminate or reassign teachers who fail to meet these requirements by the end of the probationary period. The bill directly affects child care centers and prospective teachers who possess relevant education but lack documentation.

Maddy summaryHB 541 requires all Maryland public schools to provide free menstrual hygiene products (tampons or sanitary napkins) in women’s restrooms at no cost to students. Each county board of education must install dispensers in at least two women’s restrooms at middle/high schools by October 2022 (and all by August 2025) and in at least one restroom at elementary schools by October 2022. Schools must regularly restock these dispensers to ensure availability, with the state reimbursing counties for installation and product costs through a $500,000 fiscal year 2023 appropriation. The law applies directly to public school students and county education boards, taking effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 659 adds a new member position to Maryland's State Board of Education, requiring the Governor to appoint an early childhood development professional with extensive experience in child care operations and curriculum development. This member must be selected from a list of three candidates provided by the Office of Child Care Advisory Council. The bill directly affects the State Board's composition and ensures representation from early childhood education professionals, who will attend executive sessions but cannot vote on personnel appeals. The appointment process requires the Department to notify licensed child care providers of vacancies, and the position takes effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 488 establishes the geographic boundaries for Maryland's eight congressional districts for the 2026 elections. It specifies exact county and election district portions, using census tract data to define district lines where precincts are split, based on boundaries as they existed on January 13, 2026. This bill directly affects voters in Maryland's congressional districts by determining which communities are grouped together for electing U.S. Representatives. It replaces previous election law sections (8-702 through 8-709) and clarifies that certain districting rules apply only to state legislative districts, not congressional ones.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a three-year pilot program to create a statewide network of free financial empowerment centers across Maryland, targeting residents seeking assistance with personal financial management. Each center will provide one-on-one counseling on increasing savings, reducing debt, accessing banking services, and improving credit scores, with materials available in English, Spanish, and other required languages. The Comptroller’s Office will administer the program, requiring counselors to complete training meeting established standards, and the state will fund it through budget appropriations for fiscal years 2028 and 2029. The program will run from October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2029, after which it will automatically end without further legislative action.