Del. Aaron Kaufman

Maddy summaryHB 912 requires Maryland colleges and universities to train instructors on federal disability laws (the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act) and how to provide academic accommodations for students with disabilities. New instructors must complete this training before teaching, and current instructors must do so by October 1, 2026. The Maryland Higher Education Commission will develop a model training program for institutions to adopt. This law applies to all higher education institutions in Maryland, except those already offering training that meets the required standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all Maryland public and private colleges and universities to adopt and enforce specific policies addressing racial, ethnic, and religious harassment, violence, and intimidation. Key provisions include mandating annual staff training on responding to hate incidents, creating anonymous complaint systems, publishing clear rules for campus expression, and holding yearly meetings with student organizations to discuss these policies. Institutions must also recognize the top five demographic groups most affected by hate crimes in Maryland based on annual state data. These requirements apply directly to all higher education institutions in Maryland, their students, faculty, and staff.

Maddy summaryHB 982, the "Gun Theft Felony Act of 2025," reclassifies the theft of any firearm as a felony regardless of the firearm's value. Currently, firearm theft could be charged as a misdemeanor if the value was below $1,500, but this bill makes all firearm thefts automatically felonies. The bill amends Maryland’s Criminal Law to require that anyone convicted of stealing a firearm must restore the firearm to the owner or pay its value, with penalties including up to 20 years in prison or fines up to $25,000 based on the firearm’s value. This change directly affects individuals who steal firearms, increasing penalties for this specific offense.

Maddy summaryHB 1287 prohibits manufacturing, selling, purchasing, receiving, or transferring "convertible pistols" in Maryland. A convertible pistol is defined as any semiautomatic pistol that can be converted into a machine gun solely by attaching a switch or auto-sear. The bill amends Maryland's Criminal Law to specifically target these firearms, directly affecting anyone handling such weapons or their conversion components. It does not ban all semiautomatic pistols, only those that meet this specific conversion definition. The law aims to prevent the use of devices that enable rapid-fire capabilities through simple attachment.

Maddy summaryHB 1187 requires health insurers, nonprofit health plans, HMOs, and managed care organizations that cover chemotherapy for cancer treatment to also cover scalp cooling systems. These systems help preserve hair during chemotherapy, directly benefiting cancer patients receiving chemo who face hair loss as a side effect. The bill mandates this coverage for all policies issued, delivered, or renewed in Maryland on or after January 1, 2026. It applies specifically to insurers providing hospital, medical, or surgical benefits related to cancer treatment.

Maddy summaryThis House Joint Resolution (HJ 4) is a non-binding ceremonial measure affirming Maryland's support for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) as foundational to the American Dream. It does not create new laws or policies but formally encourages state, local, and federal entities to uphold DEI principles. The resolution directs certified copies to federal leaders including the President, Vice President, and congressional leadership, citing DEI's historical role in civil rights advancements. As a procedural resolution, it has no direct policy impact on constituents or funding mechanisms.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows terminally ill Maryland residents with decision-making capacity to request medication to end their lives through a structured process. It requires two physician consultations (including a consulting physician confirming the diagnosis), a mental health assessment, and written requests spaced at least 15 days apart. Pharmacists may dispense the medication only to qualifying patients, and the law clarifies that providers acting under these rules won’t violate assisted suicide laws. Death from self-administered medication will be recorded as natural causes for insurance and legal purposes.

Maddy summaryHB 1248 requires large online platforms (with 100,000+ U.S. monthly active users) to establish a clear process for individuals to report and request removal of non-consensual intimate images or videos. Platforms must disable or remove such content within 48 hours of a valid request, identify copies, and prevent new copies from being displayed. The law mandates data logging for legal purposes but excludes email services, broadband providers, and platforms primarily featuring non-user-generated content. It directly affects major social media and content-sharing platforms, not small sites or personal communications services. The bill focuses on creating a standardized removal mechanism for victims of non-consensual image sharing, without altering criminal penalties for the act itself.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits violent acts in medical facilities and places of worship by adding a felony penalty for such offenses. It defines "medical facilities" broadly to include hospitals, clinics, and health agencies, and "places of worship" as nonresidential religious gathering spaces. Violating this law subjects offenders to up to 10 additional years in prison, with penalties running consecutively to sentences for the underlying violent crime. The law directly affects anyone committing violence in these locations, enhancing penalties for crimes committed in these specific settings.

Maddy summaryThis House Joint Resolution (HJ 6) is a symbolic statement by Maryland's General Assembly expressing support for nuclear disarmament efforts. It formally joins 73 other jurisdictions (including seven states and over 75 counties/municipalities) that have passed similar "Back from the Brink" resolutions. The resolution urges Maryland's U.S. Congressional delegation to cosponsor a federal resolution supporting the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and the five key policies of the Back from the Brink initiative (like ending hair-trigger alerts and ending first-use nuclear policies). It also calls on the U.S. President and Senate to endorse the international treaty banning nuclear weapons. As a resolution, it has no legal effect but serves as a formal position statement.