Del. Julie Palakovich Carr

Maddy summaryHB 661 grants collective bargaining rights to specific faculty at Maryland's public higher education institutions, including full-time, part-time, and adjunct employees with academic responsibilities (such as teachers, researchers, and department heads) at the University System of Maryland, Morgan State University, and St. Mary’s College of Maryland. It establishes separate bargaining units for faculty at each institution but allows these units to voluntarily combine into a single bargaining unit. The bill excludes officers, supervisors, confidential employees, and student employees from coverage. This legislation amends Maryland’s labor laws to formally define "faculty" and create a framework for collective bargaining negotiations over wages, hours, and working conditions.

Maddy summaryHB 837 establishes a 10-member task force to study forced infant separation from incarcerated parents in Maryland. The task force, including appointed members like formerly incarcerated individuals and nonprofit advocates, will examine data on pregnant/postpartum inmates, prison facility planning, separation impacts, and best practices from other states. It must report findings and recommendations to the legislature by December 31, 2026, focusing on reducing separation and improving family bonds. The bill expires June 30, 2027, without requiring further legislative action. This is a procedural study bill, not a direct policy change.

Maddy summaryHB 594 modifies Maryland's comparative negligence rules for motor vehicle accident cases involving "vulnerable individuals" (as defined in state law). It prevents a plaintiff from being barred from recovery solely due to their own negligence, unless their negligence was both a direct cause of their injury and greater than all defendants' combined negligence. Damages awarded under this law must be reduced proportionally based on the plaintiff's share of fault. The law applies only to cases arising on or after October 1, 2025, and does not affect past cases.

Maddy summaryHB 1457 replaces the existing annual surcharge ($100-$125) for zero-emission and plug-in electric vehicles with a new annual highway use fee for owners of alternative fuel vehicles (e.g., propane, natural gas), fuel-efficient vehicles (25+ MPG combined), and plug-in electric vehicles. The fee is calculated as 85% of the estimated motor fuel tax a comparable vehicle would pay annually, based on fuel efficiency and mileage. Owners may opt into a voluntary mileage-based user fee program administered by the Department of Transportation instead of paying the highway use fee. This bill directly affects owners of these specific vehicle types registered in Maryland, shifting the payment mechanism while maintaining revenue for the Transportation Trust Fund.

Maddy summaryHB 709 allows Maryland counties to adopt local laws requiring landlords to have a valid "good cause" reason (like nonpayment or lease violations) to evict tenants or refuse lease renewals, rather than allowing no-cause evictions. If a county adopts such a law, landlords must disclose in writing whether they are subject to it and provide specific ownership details (including property counts) using forms developed by the state Office of Tenant and Landlord Affairs. The bill also mandates that landlords include this disclosure in leases and court filings related to evictions. This applies only to tenants and landlords in counties that choose to implement these local protections, not statewide.

Maddy summaryHB 919 modifies several Maryland tax credit and exemption programs by shortening their expiration dates and repealing others. It changes the termination date for the Job Creation Tax Credit, Opportunity Zone Program, R&D credit, and other business incentives from 2027 to 2026, and fully repeals the One Maryland Economic Development Tax Credit Program. The bill also removes sales tax exemptions for concrete production, baked goods, precious metals, and certain construction materials, while altering vehicle tax credit eligibility. These changes directly affect businesses and taxpayers utilizing these specific tax provisions in Maryland.

Maddy summaryHB 499 (Expungement Reform Act of 2025) changes Maryland’s expungement process to make it easier for people with certain misdemeanor convictions to clear their records. It reduces waiting periods after completing a sentence (removing the previous 3-year limit for some offenses), expands eligibility to include more misdemeanor convictions, and requires courts to confirm restitution payments are made or unpayable before expungement. The bill also prohibits the Maryland Judiciary Case Search system from referencing expunged records. These changes directly affect individuals with eligible misdemeanor convictions who have completed their sentences.

Maddy summaryHB 1324 allows Maryland hospitals to sell unpaid patient medical debt to nonprofit organizations *only* if the nonprofit cancels the debt. This directly affects hospitals (requiring them to amend financial policies) and patients with outstanding medical bills who may have their debt forgiven through this process. Key provisions mandate hospitals to dismiss all pending legal actions for sold debt and prohibit any further collection efforts - including on judgments - on debt sold to qualifying nonprofits. The bill also updates hospital reporting requirements to include demographic data on debt collection practices, but its core change centers on enabling debt cancellation via nonprofit partnerships.

Maddy summaryHB 1431 restricts federal immigration enforcement agencies from accessing Maryland state and local government databases without a valid warrant. It requires state/local law enforcement agencies, DMV, and other government units to deny federal requests for personal information, photos, or facial recognition data unless accompanied by a federal or Maryland court warrant. The bill also mandates annual reporting to the legislature on all such federal requests received, including how many were denied or granted with warrants. This directly affects Maryland state agencies, local governments, and federal immigration officers seeking access to these databases.

Maddy summaryHB 1006, the "Protecting Sensitive Locations Act," requires Maryland's Attorney General to create guidelines limiting immigration enforcement at specific sensitive locations like schools, hospitals, places of worship, childcare centers, and domestic violence shelters. State agencies operating at these locations must either adopt policies aligned with the guidelines or submit written justification and existing policies if they choose not to comply. The bill directly affects all Maryland state agencies managing facilities listed in the law, such as public schools, community health centers, and emergency shelters. Its key mechanism is mandating agency adherence to the guidelines or transparent documentation of non-compliance. The law aims to reduce immigration enforcement disruptions at places where vulnerable populations seek essential services.