Del. Teresa Woorman

Maddy summaryHB 686 amends Maryland law to improve the process for certifying victims of qualifying crimes who apply for U Nonimmigrant Status (a federal visa for crime victims). It creates a rebuttable presumption that victims or their representatives (like parents, guardians, or next friends) are helpful to law enforcement if they haven’t refused to provide information, shortens the certification timeline to 30 days (7 days if the victim faces immigration removal), and requires certifying entities to develop language access protocols for non-English speakers. The bill directly affects victims of certain crimes and their families seeking this visa, ensuring certifications are more timely and accessible. These changes aim to streamline the state’s role in supporting federal visa applications without altering the visa program itself.

Maddy summaryHB 875 establishes a 17-member Commission on History, Culture, and Civics in Education to recommend curriculum changes for Maryland public schools. The commission must include specific representatives from Maryland’s Indigenous tribes, LGBTQIA+ community, disabled community, teachers, Latino, African American, and Asian American/Pacific Islander communities, with a majority required to have classroom or curriculum development experience. It will examine contributions of diverse groups (including American Indians, religious minorities, women, and disabled communities) and make annual recommendations to the State Board of Education by December 30 each year. All commission meetings, materials, and reports must be publicly posted online. The bill directly affects Maryland’s K-12 education system through required curriculum updates based on these recommendations.

Maddy summaryHB 1105 requires child care centers, youth-serving organizations, schools, and contracting agencies to collect specific information from applicants for roles involving direct contact with minors. Applicants must provide contact details for recent employers (especially those involving minors), sign consent forms for releasing records about boundary-violating behavior, and disclose any past investigations into such behavior - excluding cases where findings deemed allegations unfounded. The bill also mandates annual reporting of this information to the State Department of Education, which will compile and submit it to the General Assembly. This applies to all entities hiring staff who regularly interact with children, focusing on transparency in hiring practices.

Maddy summaryHB 1476 prohibits Maryland employers from disclosing or threatening to disclose an employee’s immigration status to government agencies to hide violations of labor, wage, or tax laws. It directly affects employers who might use immigration status to conceal issues like unpaid wages (under Maryland’s Wage and Hour Law) or failure to provide benefits. The bill authorizes Maryland’s Commissioner of Labor and Industry to investigate complaints, attempt mediation within 90 days, and impose civil fines up to $10,000 for repeated violations. Employers can request an administrative hearing within 15 days of a penalty notice. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1177 requires Maryland's Attorney General to establish a toll-free hotline for tenants to report repair and maintenance issues in residential properties (including those owned by federal, state, or local governments), with anonymous reporting allowed. The Attorney General's office can refer tenants to legal aid, report violations to local authorities, or take legal action against landlords for violations. The bill mandates annual reports to legislative committees starting in 2026, tracking complaint volumes, geographic/demographic breakdowns, resolution times, and patterns like repeated complaints against specific landlords. It directly affects renters facing housing maintenance problems across Maryland, aiming to streamline complaint resolution. The hotline will launch October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1216 would exempt Purple Heart, Medal of Honor, Silver Star, and Bronze Star recipients, as well as members of Gold Star families (immediate family members of service members killed in action), from paying vehicle registration fees in Maryland. The bill amends existing law to add these groups as eligible for fee exemptions on vehicles they own, lease, or personally use. This change expands current exemptions that already cover veterans with disabilities and other specific groups under Maryland's Transportation Article. The exemption would take effect on October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1360 prohibits storing road salt uncovered outdoors in Maryland, directly affecting municipalities, road maintenance crews, and any entity handling road salt for winter operations. The bill requires the Department of the Environment to create regulations for proper outdoor storage (including covered methods) and establish penalties for noncompliance. Enforcement will be handled by county stormwater authorities working with the Department, while exempting entities already covered by federal salt management plans. The law takes effect October 1, 2025, aiming to reduce salt runoff into waterways.

Maddy summaryHB 211 grants collective bargaining rights to graduate assistants and postdoctoral associates at Maryland's public universities (including the University System, Morgan State, and St. Mary's College). The bill amends Maryland law to remove these workers from an existing exclusion, creating separate bargaining units for them - distinct from faculty or undergraduate student employees. Key provisions define "graduate assistant" as a graduate student in teaching/administrative/research roles and "postdoctoral associate" as a doctoral-level employee in research positions, explicitly including them in collective bargaining protections. This change directly affects these graduate and postdoctoral workers, allowing them to negotiate wages, benefits, and working conditions through union representation.

Maddy summaryHB 1047 modifies Maryland's tax credit program for employers who hire eligible apprentices by removing a requirement that apprentices earn at least 50% of the prevailing wage. This change directly affects employers who hire apprentices in registered programs, making it easier for them to qualify for the credit. The bill retains the $1,000 credit per apprentice (with a $3,000 higher credit for non-youth apprentices among the first five hired) but eliminates the prior wage verification step. It also extends the program's termination date and updates administrative details for the credit. The change simplifies the process for employers while maintaining the credit's core structure.

Maddy summaryHB 1058 clarifies that local governments (counties, cities) may adopt stricter emission standards, ambient air quality standards, or solid waste regulations than state or federal requirements, provided local rules are at least as stringent. It explicitly states that county water/sewer plans and existing environmental laws do not limit this local authority. The bill requires the Maryland Department of the Environment to publish website guidance by October 1, 2025, confirming local governments' right to implement these stricter standards. This bill directly affects municipalities and counties managing air quality and waste systems, without altering existing state/federal standards. It takes effect July 1, 2025.