Rep. Jared Solomon

Maddy summaryHB 155 requires all Maryland law enforcement agencies to adopt policies prohibiting officers from wearing face coverings (like opaque masks or helmets) during routine duties, with specific exceptions. The Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission must create a model policy emphasizing transparency and excluding religious items, medical masks, or safety gear (such as helmets for motorcycle operations). Officers violating this rule face potential fines or loss of civil immunity, but exceptions cover religious garments, medical protection, and occupational safety needs. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 47 establishes a 24-member commission to identify Maryland state and local government properties (such as streets, parks, or buildings) bearing Confederate names, which commemorate the Confederacy or its figures. The commission must develop a framework to catalog these properties and recommend renaming options to state and local governments by October 1, 2033. Crucially, the commission cannot directly rename properties - it only provides recommendations for consideration by elected officials. The bill expires automatically on June 30, 2034, after a 7-year term.

Maddy summaryHB 473 repeals the current ban preventing public school employers in Maryland from negotiating class size limits with teacher unions. It removes the prohibition in Section 6-406(c)(3) that previously barred discussions about "the maximum number of students assigned to a class" during collective bargaining. This change directly affects certificated school employees (like teachers) and their unions, as well as public school employers (county school systems). The bill enables these parties to negotiate class size as part of their collective bargaining agreements, alongside other terms like salaries and working conditions.

Maddy summaryHB 176 creates a new Public Employees’ Safety and Health Unit within Maryland’s Labor Division, led by an Assistant Commissioner for Public Employees’ Safety and Health. It requires new regulations to prevent workplace violence for public employees (including state/local government workers, school staff, and field workers), repeals the ban on applying safety penalties to public bodies, and directs penalty revenues to fund apprenticeship programs. The bill amends Maryland’s Occupational Safety and Health Act to specifically cover public employers, defines "fieldwork locations" (like travel routes for public employees), and updates enforcement procedures. This directly affects all public employees working for state agencies, local governments, schools, and public corporations under Maryland’s safety laws.

Maddy summaryHB 1344 requires Maryland's Department of General Services to assess all state-owned facilities to determine if they could be leased to child care centers (as defined in Maryland law). The department must report by December 1, 2026, including a full inventory of facilities and details on each facility's suitability and leasing availability for child care centers. The report must be submitted to the General Assembly and published online. The bill expires automatically on June 30, 2027, after a two-year term.

Maddy summaryHB 859 requires the Maryland State Department of Education, working with the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, to promote health insurance access for child care professionals. It directs the department to partner with prekindergarten provider hubs, child care associations, and nonprofit organizations to help professionals enroll in health insurance through the Exchange or Medicaid, assist those losing Medicaid coverage, and match health plan options to their budgets. The bill also authorizes child care providers receiving more than two-thirds of their operating funds from government sources to join the State Employee and Retiree Health Program as "satellite organizations," allowing their employees to access state health benefits. This directly affects child care professionals seeking coverage and eligible child care providers seeking to offer group health benefits to staff.

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 666 requires Maryland's Medicaid program (Maryland Medical Assistance Program) and most health insurance plans to cover calcium score testing for individuals with specific heart disease risk factors. It directly affects people with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or a family history of early heart disease - requiring coverage if they have at least three of these risk factors. The law mandates coverage starting January 1, 2026, for Medicaid and all health insurance policies issued or renewed after that date. This change applies to insurers, nonprofit health plans, health maintenance organizations, and managed care organizations operating in Maryland. The bill does not alter coverage for other medical services but specifically adds calcium scoring to required benefits.

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.