Del. Ryan Spiegel

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 464 requires Maryland local school systems to provide parents of children with disabilities with written information about secondary transition services during Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings. Specifically, it mandates this information be given at least once yearly and beginning when a student turns 14 years old. The bill also requires that materials be provided in the parent's native language if English is not their primary language. This applies directly to parents of students with IEPs in Maryland public schools, ensuring they receive clear, accessible planning resources for their child's post-secondary goals. The law amends existing Maryland education code sections to formalize these requirements.

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.

Maddy summaryHB 1190, the "Criminal Law - Youth Accountability and Safety Act," modifies Maryland's murder statutes to protect individuals who were children at the time of a crime. It prohibits finding someone guilty of first-degree murder under specific circumstances (like crimes committed during burglary or robbery) unless they were the main actor in the offense. The bill creates a process allowing people convicted of first-degree murder before September 30, 2025, who were children at the time and not the main actor, to file a motion for review. Courts must hold hearings to determine if the person could be convicted under current law after October 1, 2025, and may vacate the conviction or resentence without increasing penalties. This directly affects a small number of individuals currently incarcerated for such convictions.

Maddy summaryHB 1318 creates a new "Class C-PCL" license for premium cigar lounges in Maryland, allowing businesses that primarily sell cigars and pipe tobacco to serve beer, wine, and liquor on-site. It directly affects tobacco retailers seeking to add alcohol service, requiring them to generate at least 60% of daily revenue from cigars/accessories and install proper ventilation. The license exempts these lounges from Maryland’s Clean Indoor Air Act, but mandates visible smoking notices, employee acknowledgments of secondhand smoke exposure, and an annual $2,000 fee. Local licensing boards may issue one such license per 150,000 county residents, with a temporary ban on new alcohol licenses for tobacconists extended until June 30, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 997 allows Maryland counties and municipalities to impose the admissions and amusement tax on the sale of food and beverages at locations where consumption occurs on the premises (such as restaurants, bars, and hotels). The bill sets a maximum tax rate for this tax and prohibits it on certain sales, including venues with only mechanical music or radio/TV, nonprofit events, and some charitable or religious activities. It also clarifies that the overall tax rate cap for local governments does not include this specific food and beverage tax. This bill directly affects local governments that choose to implement this tax and businesses selling food or beverages for on-site consumption.

Maddy summaryHB 1132 requires Maryland public school principals to investigate every student fight or physical struggle. It prohibits school staff from disciplining students who, after an investigation, more likely than not used reasonable force to protect themselves or escape an attack. If a student was wrongly disciplined for such an incident, the school must remove all related records from their disciplinary file. This bill directly affects students involved in school fights, school administrators, and the accuracy of student disciplinary records.

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 1176 extends the expiration date of Maryland's policy allowing plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) to use high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes regardless of passenger count, moving the termination from 2025 to 2030. The bill requires PEV owners to obtain a $20 permit from the State Highway Administration to access HOV lanes, with limits on permit issuance to maintain lane efficiency. It also mandates annual reports to the Governor and General Assembly on how PEV use affects HOV lane operations. This policy directly affects PEV owners seeking HOV lane access and maintains existing access rules without altering vehicle eligibility criteria.

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.