Rep. Emily Shetty

Maddy summaryHB 628 establishes a program providing $1,000 monthly payments for three years to young adults who were in out-of-home care (like foster care) on their 18th birthday, with birthdays on or after October 1, 2026. Payments cannot be counted as income for Medicaid, the Maryland Earned Income Tax Credit, or state/federal financial aid for education. The Department of Human Services must report annually on participants' income, location, employment, and housing status starting October 2027. The program will run from October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2031, with automatic termination after that date.

Maddy summaryHB 310 limits the use of restrictive housing (locked cell confinement for 22+ hours daily) for incarcerated individuals in Maryland state facilities who have a developmental or intellectual disability. It requires a licensed clinical professional to assess new inmates for these disabilities during intake and to recommend against placing them in restrictive housing for more than 15 consecutive days within any 30-day period. This 15-day limit does not apply if the individual commits a "prohibited act," such as causing serious injury, making threats, or possessing weapons. The bill directly affects incarcerated people with these disabilities and mandates correctional facilities to follow this assessment and limitation process.

Maddy summaryHB 1198 creates new protections for debtors who incurred debt through coercion (such as fraud, domestic abuse, human trafficking, or exploitation). It requires debtors to provide creditors with written notice and "adequate documentation" (like police reports or court orders) proving the debt was coerced, after which creditors must immediately stop collection efforts. Creditors must confirm receipt of the notice, inform credit bureaus the debt is disputed, and wait at least 40 days before resuming collection if they choose to do so. The bill applies to all debtors in Maryland who face such coerced debts, excluding debts secured by real property.

Maddy summaryHB 1397 requires Maryland's Interagency Commission on School Construction to include dedicated square footage for aquatic facilities (like pools) in schools' Gross Area Baseline calculations for funding. It mandates that every local school system develop a facilities plan by the start of the 2026-2027 school year, outlining options for student access to aquatic facilities. The Commission must collaborate with each school system to create these plans. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, directly impacting how school construction funding is calculated and allocated for aquatic facilities.

Maddy summaryHB 1205 establishes a minimum wage of $25.00 per hour for non-certified, non-supervisory school support staff (such as aides, clerks, and cafeteria workers) beginning July 1, 2028. It requires all Maryland county school boards to pay these employees at least this rate, directly affecting over 20,000 education support professionals statewide. The bill also mandates the State Department of Education to submit a cost report by December 1, 2026, with detailed estimates broken down by school system to implement this wage change.

Maddy summaryThis is a symbolic resolution, not a bill with enforceable policy changes. Maryland's General Assembly formally joins other states (like California and Oregon) and local jurisdictions in endorsing the "Back from the Brink" initiative. It urges Maryland's congressional delegation to cosponsor a federal resolution supporting the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and asks the U.S. President and Senate to endorse that treaty. The resolution expresses concern about nuclear risks but does not create new laws or directly affect any individuals or entities.

Maddy summaryHB 1064 establishes a unified Maryland Office of the Inspector General (OIG) to replace the separate Education and Health Inspector General offices, creating a single oversight body for all state agencies. The bill sets rules for appointing the Inspector General (requiring a non-partisan affidavit and a 5-year term), mandates full cooperation from state agencies during audits and investigations, and protects OIG records from public disclosure under Maryland's Public Information Act. It also extends whistleblower protections to state employees who report concerns to the OIG and allows the Governor to transfer staff and funding to the new office. The bill directly affects state agencies (which must cooperate with the OIG) and state employees (who gain enhanced protections when reporting wrongdoing).

Maddy summaryHB 1488 proposes amending the Maryland Constitution to replace gendered terms like "man," "his," and "him" with gender-neutral language such as "person" and "their." It specifically targets multiple articles and sections across the Constitution (including the Declaration of Rights, Executive Department, and Judiciary Department) to update outdated terminology. The bill does not change substantive rights or policies but modernizes the language to be inclusive. This is a procedural constitutional amendment focused solely on terminology, not on altering legal obligations or government functions.

Maddy summaryHB 444 prohibits Maryland state and local governments, including county sheriffs and agencies, from entering into new agreements with federal authorities to enforce civil immigration law. It requires existing agreements to be terminated by July 1, 2026, or immediately upon the law’s effective date (June 1, 2026). The bill specifically targets contracts, memorandums, or agreements that allow local entities to assist in federal immigration enforcement under federal laws like 8 U.S.C. § 1103 or § 1357. This directly affects local law enforcement agencies and government bodies that previously collaborated with federal immigration authorities. The law aims to prevent state/local resources from being used for immigration enforcement under federal programs.

Maddy summaryHB 1131 (Pregnancy Outcome Protection Act) prohibits law enforcement and agencies from investigating, prosecuting, or imposing civil liability on individuals who experienced pregnancy loss (including miscarriage, stillbirth, or self-managed abortion), except when independent evidence of unrelated criminal conduct exists or the individual consents. It protects healthcare providers from liability for supporting patients during or after pregnancy loss and restricts disclosure of medical records related to pregnancy loss without evidence of abuse, unrelated criminal conduct, or patient consent. The bill creates a private right to sue for violations and establishes misdemeanor penalties for knowingly violating its provisions. These changes apply to all Maryland residents and healthcare providers within the state’s health system.