Del. Joe Vogel

Maddy summaryHB 151 requires that 3% of sales and use tax revenue from cannabis sales in Maryland be distributed quarterly to the Maryland Veterans Trust Fund. This fund directly supports veterans, their families, and Maryland National Guard members through grants, loans, and programs. The bill amends tax distribution rules to prioritize this allocation after funding cannabis administration costs, social equity programs, community reinvestment, and public health funds. The change takes effect July 1, 2026, with no other specified impacts on policy or program structure.

Maddy summaryHB 124 allows Maryland taxpayers to subtract certain personal casualty losses from their state income tax if those losses involve theft or fraud targeting retirement plan assets. It specifically applies to losses that were deductible under federal tax law before 2018, requiring taxpayers to attach documentation proving the theft/fraud occurred and that the assets were retirement plan property. The bill prevents double-deduction by reducing the state subtraction if the taxpayer already claimed a federal deduction for the same loss. This change affects Maryland residents who lost retirement savings due to theft or fraud schemes, effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1131 establishes a grant program to help Maryland counties cover costs for training paramedics to administer buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid overdoses. The bill directs the Maryland Office of Overdose Response to create a workgroup to study state-wide access to buprenorphine. Funding for the program comes from the Opioid Restitution Fund, as explicitly added to the fund's authorized uses under Section 7-331(f)(5) of the State Finance and Procurement Article. This directly affects counties seeking to expand emergency medical services for opioid emergencies and paramedics receiving specialized training. The bill focuses on concrete policy changes: creating a dedicated grant stream and requiring a state-level access study.

Maddy summaryHB 1222 (Maryland Values Act) requires Maryland correctional facilities to detain and transfer individuals who are not lawfully present in the U.S. and have been convicted of a violent crime to federal immigration authorities within 48 hours when requested. It prohibits law enforcement officers from detaining people or prolonging arrests based on immigration status during routine stops or investigations, and bans transferring individuals to federal immigration authorities except for the defined "covered individuals" (those with violent crime convictions and unlawful presence). The bill also terminates existing immigration enforcement agreements between Maryland entities and federal authorities by a specified deadline. This directly affects state/local correctional facilities, law enforcement officers, and individuals with certain immigration statuses and violent crime convictions.

Maddy summaryHB 553 requires Maryland's Medicaid program (Maryland Medical Assistance Program) to cover self-measured blood pressure monitoring for eligible pregnant, postpartum, or chronically ill individuals starting January 1, 2026. It specifically covers Medicaid recipients with conditions like diabetes, heart disease, chronic kidney disease, or cardiometabolic disorders. The bill mandates coverage for validated home blood pressure monitors and reimburses healthcare providers for training, data interpretation, and remote monitoring support. Additionally, it requires the state to launch an education campaign and submit annual reports on usage, health outcomes, and cost savings related to the program.

Maddy summaryHB 328 allows Maryland's State Lottery Director to issue licenses for up to five instant lottery machines to eligible veterans' organizations and fraternal organizations (like non-profits with 300+ members under IRS 501(c)(7) or (8) status). It changes how proceeds are distributed: veterans' groups keep 50% of machine sales revenue after payouts, while fraternal organizations' proceeds go to the lottery fund (with 50% split between the agency for machine costs and education funding). The bill removes a requirement that veterans' groups purchase or lease machines and prohibits fraternal organizations from operating machines in nine specific counties. This modifies existing lottery licensing rules to expand access for these groups while clarifying revenue sharing.

Maddy summaryHB 506, the Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act, creates the Maryland Leaders in Environmentally Engaged Farming (LEEF) Program to reduce nutrients in the Chesapeake Bay watershed through voluntary farm conservation practices. The bill establishes a special fund for the program, redefines "healthy soils" for existing soil programs, and exempts certain fishing license holders from needing food establishment licenses. Key provisions include tiered recognition for farms adopting conservation practices, requirements for the Department of Environment to authorize water quality trading credits, and new rules for fisheries management and aquaculture leases. The bill directly affects Maryland farmers, state environmental agencies, and fishing industry participants by changing how conservation incentives and regulations are implemented.

Maddy summaryHB 277 requires new construction and specific renovations to include water bottle filling stations - defined as fixtures for filling personal water bottles (at least 10 inches tall) that may combine with drinking fountains - starting October 1, 2025. It mandates these stations in all new buildings requiring drinking fountains under plumbing codes, when replacing existing drinking fountains in renovations, and when renovations require new drinking fountains. The Maryland Department of Labor must create implementing regulations, and the law applies only to projects under contract after July 1, 2025. This affects building developers, contractors, and public facilities subject to plumbing code requirements.

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 699 defines "honorable discharge" for Maryland veterans' state benefits to include discharges that were less than honorable due to specific, protected factors. It directly affects veterans who received such discharges solely because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, or based on disclosures related to those factors (including statements/acts prohibited at the time), or because of PTSD/TBI diagnoses or sexual trauma disclosures made at VA facilities. The bill requires veterans to submit documentation supporting their discharge basis to access state benefits. It amends Maryland law to take effect October 1, 2025.