Del. Sarah Wolek

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) to automatically renew disability reduced fare program certifications for enrolled individuals who are permanently disabled, eliminating the need for them to reapply annually. It directly affects people with permanent disabilities who use MTA services and currently must manually renew their reduced-fare status each year. The key provision mandates the MTA to implement an automatic renewal process through regulations, streamlining access to discounted transit fares. The law takes effect October 1, 2025, and updates existing MTA regulations under Maryland Code, Transportation Article § 7-718.

Maddy summaryHB 930 establishes Maryland's Public Health Abortion Grant Program to improve access to abortion care by redirecting excess funds from health insurance coverage. It requires insurance carriers in Maryland to transfer 90% of unused funds from their abortion coverage accounts (after covering patient costs) into a new special fund. This fund will support abortion clinical services, particularly where federal funding is restricted, benefiting individuals seeking abortion care in Maryland. The program mandates annual reporting by insurers and transfers existing excess funds starting in 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1126 establishes a one-year pilot program in Maryland's Department of Labor to connect unemployed individuals with overdue child support payments (arrears) to employment opportunities, including state government jobs. The program requires the Department of Labor to collaborate with the Departments of Human Services and Budget and Management to securely share participant information and implement procedures. It mandates a final report to the Governor and General Assembly by July 1, 2026, evaluating the program's effectiveness before its automatic expiration on June 30, 2026. The bill directly affects unemployed residents with child support arrears and state agencies managing workforce and social services. This policy change creates a structured pathway to address both unemployment and child support obligations through job placement.

Maddy summaryHB 1193 (Maryland Housing Data Transparency Act) requires large Maryland local governments (those with at least 150,000 residents or issuing 50+ annual residential permits) to submit monthly reports to the state Department of Planning starting January 2027. These reports must include specific details for each housing development permit, such as permit numbers, approval dates, housing type (e.g., apartments, single-family), unit counts, construction costs, and processing times. The state Department of Planning must then publish this data on a public, searchable website by July 2027, organized by housing type and county. The bill aims to increase transparency around housing development by making permit data accessible to the public and policymakers.

Maddy summaryHB 678 establishes the Maryland Deaf Culture Digital Library as the state's primary resource center for deaf-related library services. It requires the Governor to include $450,000 annually in the budget for the library and mandates that the library submit its operating budget to the State Library Agency by June 1 each year. The bill directs the library to conduct needs assessments, develop staff training on deaf services, create a shared website, and form partnerships with deaf organizations and county libraries. These provisions directly affect deaf and hard of hearing Marylanders, state and county libraries, and the State Library Agency.

Maddy summaryHB 458 authorizes an annual $350,000 appropriation starting fiscal year 2027 for the University of Maryland, College Park's TerpsEXCEED Program, which serves students with intellectual disabilities. The funding provides dedicated resources to support academic success through course accommodations, peer mentoring, and career development services like internships and job placement. It also covers management of financial aid, self-directed waiver budgets, and cross-agency coordination for each student. This bill establishes a sustainable funding source for the program’s operations and future expansion, directly benefiting enrolled students with intellectual disabilities. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 910 increases Maryland's property tax exemption for blind individuals from $15,000 to $40,000 on their primary residence. It directly affects blind homeowners and their surviving spouses (who haven't remarried) who own a dwelling house meeting specific occupancy and visual impairment criteria. The bill amends existing law to raise the exemption amount, which applies to the assessed value of the home, and continues the exemption to surviving spouses after the blind individual's death. The change takes effect June 1, 2025, for all taxable years beginning after June 30, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 452 requires the Maryland Green Building Council to update outdoor lighting guidelines by October 2026, focusing on reducing light pollution and setting a color temperature limit of 3,000K or lower for new fixtures. It prohibits state funds from being used for outdoor lighting on state buildings, parks, or trails unless fixtures meet specific efficiency standards, including using 3,000K or cooler light, minimizing upward light spill, and providing only necessary illumination. Exemptions include Department of Transportation projects, correctional facilities, and sports field lighting. The bill also creates a waiver process for special lighting needs and mandates a Department of Transportation review of highway lighting practices by September 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 1424, the "Protect Our Federal Workers Act," expands state financial assistance to Maryland residents affected by federal government disruptions beyond just shutdowns. It renames the "Federal Government Shutdown Employee Assistance Loan Fund" to the "Federal Government Employee Assistance Loan Fund" and broadens eligibility to include current federal employees not paid during shutdowns *and* Maryland residents recently terminated due to federal office closures, relocations, or mass layoffs. The bill allows funds from the state’s Catastrophic Event Account to cover costs for these individuals, administered by the Maryland Department of Labor. This changes existing law to provide loans for both ongoing shutdowns and post-layoff financial hardship from federal facility changes.

Maddy summaryHB 1483 requires Maryland public schools to issue simultaneous bids for boys' and girls' high school sports officiating services (like referees for basketball or soccer) and prohibits pay disparities between genders for similar sports. Schools must reject any bid that would result in different pay rates for officials officiating comparable boys' and girls' sports events. The bill allows schools with existing contracts to extend them until July 2029 to align timelines for similar sports, but new contracts must follow these rules starting July 1, 2025. It directly affects school systems hiring officiating services for high school athletic competitions.