Del. Jason Buckel

Maddy summaryHB 1430 changes how Maryland public school teachers earn salary increases tied to career advancement. It replaces lump-sum raises with annual stipends: $5,000 for National Board Certified Teachers (NBC), $3,500 for NBC teachers in low-performing schools, and $2,500 for lead teachers, among others. The bill requires counties to prove teachers received a 10% salary increase above negotiated rates (2019-2024) and mandates the State Department of Education to study National Board Certification’s impact. It also sets a new $60,000 minimum teacher salary starting July 1, 2026. The bill directly affects teachers seeking career ladder advancements, county school boards, and state education funding.

Maddy summaryHB 403 requires Maryland correctional facilities to transfer undocumented immigrants serving sentences for certain crimes to U.S. Homeland Security (DHS) under specific circumstances. It directly affects undocumented immigrants incarcerated in Maryland facilities who have been convicted of or suspected of: terrorism/espionage, gang-related offenses under federal law, gang participation as a minor, or aggravated felonies. The bill mandates transfer if the individual meets any of these four criteria, creating a legal mechanism for state-federal coordination. It takes effect October 1, 2025.

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 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 summaryHB 1451, the Climate Solutions Affordability Act of 2025, modifies Maryland's Climate Solutions Now Act to require certain climate measures "to the extent economically practicable." It directs building owners to annually measure and report direct emissions data to the Department of the Environment starting in 2025, and sets goals for covered buildings to achieve a 20% greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 2030 (compared to 2025 levels) and net-zero emissions by 2040. The bill also updates statewide targets to reduce emissions 60% below 2006 levels by 2031 and reach net-zero statewide emissions by 2045, while adding provisions for zero-emission state vehicle fleets and school buses. These changes apply to building owners, utility contractors, and state agencies implementing climate programs.

Maddy summaryHB 1319 makes it a felony to knowingly steal redeemable digital reward points, such as credit card points, frequent flyer miles, or retail rewards. It specifically prohibits obtaining unauthorized control over these points with the intent to deprive the owner, directly affecting individuals who steal such points and the businesses or consumers who own them. The law imposes penalties of up to 5 years in prison, a $10,000 fine, or both, plus requiring the thief to pay the owner the points' value. This amendment to Maryland’s Criminal Law (Article 7, Section 7-111) clarifies that digital reward systems are protected under theft statutes. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1340 modifies Maryland's unpaid parental leave law by changing the definition of "employer" to exclude businesses already covered by the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). This means employers with 15-49 employees who comply with federal FMLA requirements will no longer need to provide additional state-mandated unpaid parental leave. The bill directly affects small-to-midsize Maryland businesses (15-49 employees) that are FMLA-covered, removing a separate state obligation. It takes effect October 1, 2025, and does not create new benefits but adjusts existing requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 1192 requires Maryland's Comptroller and State Tax Department to regularly check if nonprofits with state tax exemptions have been federally designated as supporting terrorist organizations under U.S. law. If confirmed, it mandates rescinding their income, sales, use, and property tax exemptions. Nonprofits must be notified in writing with 90 days to provide evidence to prevent rescission, and can appeal to the Maryland Tax Court. Reinstatement is possible only if the rescission was erroneous or based on new evidence. This directly affects Maryland nonprofits currently holding tax-exempt status who have been found by federal authorities to provide material support to designated terrorist groups.

Maddy summaryHB 803 prohibits distributing computer-generated images that appear to show real people with exposed intimate parts (like genitals or buttocks) or engaged in sexual activity, if done to harm, harass, or without the person’s consent - especially when privacy was expected. It specifically covers AI-generated content that looks indistinguishable from actual people, but excludes drawings, cartoons, sculptures, or paintings. Violators face misdemeanor charges with penalties of up to 2 years in jail or a $5,000 fine. The bill amends Maryland’s criminal code (§ 3-809) to address new risks from deepfake technology.

Maddy summaryHB 734, the Real Time for Violent Crime Act, prohibits incarcerated individuals convicted of first- or second-degree murder from earning sentence reduction credits (diminution credits) that shorten their prison time. It also limits sentence reductions for violent crimes to no more than 10% of the total sentence for those convicted of crimes of violence (as defined in Maryland law), and restricts judges from granting pretrial release to defendants charged with violent crimes if they have pending charges or recent convictions for specific violent offenses. The bill directly affects people serving sentences for murder or violent crimes in Maryland correctional facilities and changes how courts handle sentence reductions and pretrial releases for these cases.