Del. Teresa Woorman

Maddy summaryHB 1198, the Monica Cooper Prerelease Act, requires Maryland to establish a dedicated prerelease facility for female incarcerated individuals in Baltimore City (on at least 3 acres) by 2027. The facility must serve women with low violence/escape risk and satisfactory behavior, offering evidence-based programs like education, vocational training, trauma-informed healthcare, and family reunification support. It mandates the Department of Public Safety to provide comprehensive rehabilitative services - including help with public health benefits applications - and report progress to lawmakers by 2026. This bill directly affects female inmates eligible for prerelease status, aiming to reduce recidivism through gender-responsive reentry planning.

Maddy summaryHB 386 prohibits the use of pesticides containing PFAS chemicals (a class of fluorinated chemicals) at specific locations, including schools, healthcare facilities, day cares, residential lawns, and commercial mosquito spraying, beginning June 1, 2026. The Maryland Department of Agriculture must create and maintain a list of all PFAS pesticides by January 1, 2026, and distribute it to certified applicators. The bill also bans new registrations of PFAS pesticides for sale in Maryland starting June 1, 2027, and prohibits all use of these pesticides statewide after June 1, 2028. This directly affects pesticide manufacturers, certified applicators, and entities using pesticides in the specified locations.

Maddy summaryHB 830 requires Maryland health insurers, nonprofit health plans, and health maintenance organizations to cover genetic testing for individuals with a personal or family history of cancer, as recommended by healthcare providers and aligned with medical guidelines. It also mandates coverage for follow-up cancer imaging (like mammograms or colonoscopies) if genetic testing indicates increased cancer risk, with no copayments, coinsurance, or deductibles for these specific services. The law applies to all health plans issued, delivered, or renewed in Maryland starting January 1, 2026, directly affecting patients with cancer risk factors and their insurers.

Maddy summaryHB 1001 designates "The Original Maryland Orange Crush" as Maryland's official state cocktail, recognizing its origin at Ocean City's Harborside Bar and Grill. The bill amends Maryland law by adding Section 7-313 to the Annotated Code, formally naming the cocktail in state statutes. This is a symbolic designation with no regulatory or financial impact on businesses, consumers, or state operations. It affects Maryland's official state symbols but does not change any existing laws governing alcohol or cocktails. The change takes effect June 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 960, the "Ratepayer Freedom Act," prohibits investor-owned electric, gas, and combined gas/electric utilities in Maryland from recovering certain costs through customer rates. It bans cost recovery for lobbying or political activities (including trade association dues, policy research, and advertising to attract new customers), executive travel, entertainment, and investor relations expenses - unless specific public interest criteria are met. Utilities must now report all costs tied to these prohibited activities in annual filings to the Public Service Commission, including itemized expenses, employee roles, and hours spent. This directly affects major utility companies like Baltimore Gas and Electric or Potomac Edison, aiming to prevent ratepayers from funding activities unrelated to core service delivery. The bill focuses on transparency and cost accountability, requiring detailed disclosures without altering utility service standards.

Maddy summaryHB 763 requires Maryland public and qualifying nonpublic schools to include age-appropriate material about human and sex trafficking awareness and prevention in health curricula for students in grades 6 through 8. This amendment to existing education law builds upon current sexual abuse and assault prevention programs by adding specific content about trafficking. The law mandates that this material be taught by trained instructors and integrated into standard health education. The policy change applies to all schools participating in the Nonpublic Schools Textbook and Technology Grants Program, effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 368 designates May as "Maryland Native Plant Month" by requiring the Governor to annually issue a proclamation recognizing the environmental benefits of native plants. The bill directs the Governor to urge educational organizations, environmental groups, and businesses to host events and activities during this month. It does not create new programs or funding but formally establishes this annual observance through a simple legislative change to Maryland state law. This commemorative measure affects the Governor’s annual actions and encourages voluntary participation from relevant organizations.

Maddy summaryHB 468 establishes a 5-day initial limit for emergency mental health evaluation petitions in Maryland, allowing courts to extend them in 5-day increments (up to a 30-day total) for "good cause." It requires courts to include expiration dates on petitions and clarifies when peace officers may use reasonable force to execute them. The bill directly affects individuals seeking emergency evaluations, courts issuing petitions, and law enforcement officers carrying out the process. Key changes standardize timeframes, mandate expiration dates, and specify extension procedures for mental health emergencies.

Maddy summaryHB 1439 exempts health benefit plans issued through professional employer organizations (PEOs), coemployers, or employee leasing organizations from certain Maryland health insurance requirements that apply to other plans. This directly affects small employers (defined as those with an average of 50 or fewer employees) who use PEOs to provide health benefits to their workers. The bill modifies Maryland’s insurance code to create a specific exemption, removing the need for PEOs to comply with standard health plan rules under Section 15-1204.1(a)(2). This change simplifies access to health benefits for small businesses using PEO services without altering the core requirements for other health plan providers.

Maddy summaryHB 1051 modifies Maryland law to allow tax-exempt non-profit organizations (501(c)(3) entities) to operate funeral homes and obtain licenses as "corporations" under the State Board of Morticians and Funeral Directors. It directly affects non-profit funeral organizations that previously could not qualify for licensing under the existing definition of "corporation." The key provision expands the definition of "corporation" to include such non-profits, authorizing the Board to issue and renew licenses for these organizations if they meet specific requirements, including having "practicing funeral direction" as their purpose. This change creates a new pathway for non-profits to legally operate funeral services without needing a for-profit structure.