Rep. Emily Shetty

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 936 requires health insurance carriers to provide written notice of cancellation or nonrenewal for small group health plans to affected small employers and employees at least 90 days in advance. Notices must be sent via certified mail (return receipt requested) and electronically, including information about alternative coverage options like COBRA or plans through the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange. The bill applies specifically to small group market plans and takes effect July 1, 2025. It mandates carriers to offer affected employers other available plans and prohibits discrimination based on health status.

Maddy summaryHB 974 requires Maryland health insurers to cover specific preventive services - like evidence-based screenings rated A/B by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, recommended immunizations, and women’s preventive care - without requiring copays, deductibles, or coinsurance for policyholders. It directly affects health insurers and their customers by mandating coverage for these services under state law. The bill shifts enforcement authority to the Maryland Insurance Commissioner, who must ensure compliance with federal rules and guidance in effect as of December 31, 2024. The law takes effect on June 1, 2025, aligning state coverage requirements with federal standards for preventive care.

Maddy summaryHB 334 establishes a statewide program requiring the Maryland Department of Health to provide universal newborn nurse home visiting services to all families with newborns (up to 12 weeks old) residing in Maryland. The program must be evidence-based, offered by licensed nurses, and delivered in homes or virtually, focusing on infant health, maternal well-being, family support, and child development. Crucially, the bill mandates that health insurers, nonprofit health plans, and health maintenance organizations cover and reimburse these services under existing policies. The program is voluntary for families, with no penalties for declining participation, and requires data collection on outcomes across key domains like reducing child maltreatment and improving school readiness.

Maddy summaryHB 675 modifies Maryland's Rape Kit Testing Grant Fund to specifically fund testing of untested sexual assault evidence kits collected before October 1, 2020, and support related services. The bill directs the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention to distribute funds annually to law enforcement agencies for testing, while prohibiting the fund from supporting the Sexual Assault Evidence Kit Tracking System (Section 31-33). It also allocates funding to the State Sexual Assault Coalition for a victim notification hotline providing advocacy, information on untested kits, and guidance navigating the tracking system (Section 9-19). The Executive Director must ensure all pre-2020 kits are tested or determined non-testable by fiscal year end, with funds maintained at prior-year levels unless reduced (Section 5-6). This directly affects law enforcement agencies, victims of sexual assault, and the State Sexual Assault Coalition.

Maddy summaryHB 406 changes how hearing aid dispensers are appointed to Maryland's State Board of Examiners. The bill requires the Board to notify all licensed hearing aid dispensers in the state when a vacancy occurs, instead of relying solely on a pre-submitted list. It also mandates that the list of candidates provided to the Governor must include at least three times the number of available positions. This applies specifically to the three hearing aid dispenser members on the 15-member board, directly affecting licensed hearing aid dispensers seeking board appointments. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 527 requires the Maryland Transit Administration to provide three months of free rides on the Purple Line for residents living within a quarter-mile of the tracks, and free advertising space on Purple Line vehicles and stations for businesses within the same quarter-mile radius. The program would begin when Purple Line service starts and last for three months, applying to all qualifying residents and businesses near the transit line. It takes effect October 1, 2025, and directly affects local residents and small businesses adjacent to the Purple Line corridor. The bill creates a temporary incentive to encourage ridership and support nearby commercial activity during the initial service period.

Maddy summaryHB 702 requires Maryland county boards of education to publish a list of special education service delivery models on their websites. This list must include options available both within the public school system and for parentally-placed private school students (children with disabilities whose parents chose private schools, not those referred by public agencies). The bill mandates that counties clearly state placement decisions for public school students will follow federal special education rules and involve parent input. It takes effect July 1, 2025, and directly affects county education boards and families of children with disabilities in private schools. The law does not change service delivery but increases transparency about available options.

Maddy summaryHB 428 prohibits medical providers from placing liens on owner-occupied homes for unpaid medical debt. It requires courts to specify if a money judgment involves medical debt and mandates including the defendant’s primary residence address in such complaints. The bill adds a new provision (§ 14-203.1) stating that liens on homes where owners live cannot be created for medical debt, and courts must remove such illegal liens while potentially awarding damages. This applies prospectively from October 1, 2025, directly affecting Maryland homeowners and medical providers seeking debt collection.

Maddy summaryHB 809 creates a temporary exception to standard child placement limits for foster care providers when a child enrolled in college must leave campus due to academic breaks, temporary closures, or approved leave. The exemption applies only if the child, foster care provider, and agency agree to the living arrangement. This directly affects youth in foster care attending college and their foster care providers. The law requires the state to update placement regulations by July 2025.