Del. Teresa Woorman

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 1356, the Maryland Employee Civic Activity and Lawful Expression Protection Act, prohibits employers from taking adverse actions against employees for engaging in off-duty civic activities, political expression, or lawful online speech. It protects all employees - including interns, part-timers, and temporary workers - from retaliation such as termination, demotion, or denial of promotion for activities like protesting, volunteering, or sharing opinions online outside work hours. The law bans employers from coercing political contributions, forcing attendance at political events, or maintaining policies that restrict protected activities, with exceptions only for conduct that disrupts job duties or reveals trade secrets. Employees can pursue civil lawsuits for violations without exhausting administrative remedies first.

Maddy summaryHB 444 prohibits Maryland state and local governments, including county sheriffs and agencies, from entering into new agreements with federal authorities to enforce civil immigration law. It requires existing agreements to be terminated by July 1, 2026, or immediately upon the law’s effective date (June 1, 2026). The bill specifically targets contracts, memorandums, or agreements that allow local entities to assist in federal immigration enforcement under federal laws like 8 U.S.C. § 1103 or § 1357. This directly affects local law enforcement agencies and government bodies that previously collaborated with federal immigration authorities. The law aims to prevent state/local resources from being used for immigration enforcement under federal programs.

Maddy summaryHB 1386, "Victoria, Scottie, Ashleigh, and Yader’s Law," makes it a felony for repeat drug distributors to provide heroin, fentanyl, or similar drugs when that distribution causes death or serious injury to another person. It applies only to individuals with prior convictions for distributing controlled substances under Maryland law. The law holds every person who transferred the drugs before the harm occurred liable, mandates a maximum 20-year prison sentence (served consecutively to other sentences), and clarifies that the law covers cases where drugs were mixed with other substances or distributed directly to the victim. This bill directly affects repeat drug distributors whose actions result in fatal or severe injuries, not general users or first-time offenders.

Maddy summaryHB 1131 (Pregnancy Outcome Protection Act) prohibits law enforcement and agencies from investigating, prosecuting, or imposing civil liability on individuals who experienced pregnancy loss (including miscarriage, stillbirth, or self-managed abortion), except when independent evidence of unrelated criminal conduct exists or the individual consents. It protects healthcare providers from liability for supporting patients during or after pregnancy loss and restricts disclosure of medical records related to pregnancy loss without evidence of abuse, unrelated criminal conduct, or patient consent. The bill creates a private right to sue for violations and establishes misdemeanor penalties for knowingly violating its provisions. These changes apply to all Maryland residents and healthcare providers within the state’s health system.

Maddy summaryHB 1575, the Community Trust Act, prohibits state and local correctional facilities and their employees from detaining individuals or sharing information with federal immigration authorities based on immigration status, except when required by a judicial warrant or for routine booking. It bans asking about citizenship, prolonging detention for immigration reasons, transferring individuals to immigration authorities without a warrant, or coercing people based on immigration status. Exceptions include when immigration status relates to legal protections under state/federal law or international treaties, allowing facilities to notify individuals or offer voluntary disclosure. Correctional facilities must adopt policies with penalties for violations, and affected individuals can seek damages or injunctions if harmed by a breach.

Maddy summaryHB 1589 simplifies how Maryland residents can update the sex designation on their birth certificates and state-issued IDs. It allows individuals (or their guardians for minors/disabled adults) to request a new birth certificate with a changed sex designation by submitting a written request under penalty of perjury, plus a healthcare provider's statement confirming medical treatment for gender transition or an intersex condition. The bill removes the previous requirement for a court order to change sex designation on birth certificates and expands options for indicating sex on driver's licenses and ID cards. This directly affects transgender and intersex Marylanders seeking to align official documents with their gender identity.

Maddy summaryHB 1316 directs the Hilltop Institute at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County to study the feasibility of implementing a single-payer universal health care system in Maryland. The study will evaluate coverage scope (including essential benefits under federal law and Maryland programs), cost projections, and potential impacts on health equity and access, while examining how to integrate existing programs like Medicaid and Medicare. An Advisory Commission, composed of state officials, labor representatives, and community stakeholders, will assist the Institute in developing final recommendations. This bill is purely a study mandate with no immediate policy changes; it aims to inform future legislative decisions about universal health care.

Maddy summaryHB 1114 allows pharmacists to prescribe and dispense HIV prevention drugs (PrEP) to patients under specific guidelines, expanding access beyond traditional doctor visits. It requires Maryland's Medicaid program (Medical Assistance Program) to cover FDA-approved HIV prevention drugs, including PrEP and PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis), starting January 1, 2027. The bill also prohibits insurers and managed care organizations from requiring prior authorization, step therapy, or cost-sharing for these medications. This directly affects pharmacists, Medicaid recipients, and health insurers by removing financial and administrative barriers to HIV prevention care. The policy aligns with CDC guidelines for PrEP and PEP use, ensuring coverage for medically appropriate HIV prevention drugs.

Maddy summaryHB 1209 prohibits licensed mental health providers from offering conversion therapy or making false claims about it, directly affecting providers and helping victims who suffered psychological harm. The bill creates a private legal cause of action for individuals harmed by conversion therapy, removes limits on noneconomic damages in such cases, and extends the statute of limitations to account for delayed recognition of harm. It also requires insurers covering providers who perform conversion therapy to charge a surcharge, with funds going to a new "Conversion Therapy Surcharge Fund." These changes aim to provide legal recourse and financial accountability for the psychological injuries linked to conversion therapy.