Rep. David Moon

Maddy summaryHB 1554 amends Maryland’s sales tax code to include certain labor and installation services under taxable business services. Previously exempt services like applying materials or installing equipment (e.g., for commercial buildings or machinery) will now be subject to sales tax. This directly affects businesses providing these services to other businesses, requiring them to collect and remit tax at the standard rate. The bill removes specific exemptions from the "taxable price" definition that previously excluded such labor and services.

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 summaryThis bill requires the Maryland Department of Planning to work with the Maryland Energy Administration to study land owned by the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services for potential solar energy projects. The study must develop criteria for evaluating site suitability and assess whether lease agreements could be used for solar development on this state-owned land. By October 1, 2027, the department must submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly. The bill takes effect on October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 545 automates the removal of certain criminal records from public view in Maryland. It directly affects individuals with eligible cases involving cannabis possession (with 3+ years since case resolution) or specific misdemeanors (with 7+ years since resolution, excluding domestic violence or assault charges). The bill establishes a new process where the Judiciary identifies eligible cases monthly starting August 2027, then electronically notifies the Department of Public Safety to automatically remove those records within 30 days. This replaces a previous deadline and creates a permanent, systematic approach for expungement without requiring individuals to file separate requests.

Maddy summaryHB 621 clarifies that individuals with expunged criminal charges (specifically cannabis possession cases where it was the only charge and disposed before July 1, 2023) cannot be denied licenses, permits, jobs, or educational opportunities solely for refusing to disclose those expunged charges. The bill prohibits state agencies, employers, and educational institutions from using refusal to disclose expunged information as the sole basis for denial. It also mandates that Maryland’s MDEC court system remove all references to qualifying cannabis possession cases from its records by July 1, 2024. These provisions directly affect people with expunged cannabis cases and the agencies handling applications for services or admissions.

Maddy summaryHB 1025 requires all Maryland local school districts to join the NASDTEC Educator Identification Clearinghouse by July 1, 2025, to screen both current educators and new applicants for teaching positions. The bill mandates that school districts use this national clearinghouse for background checks, replacing their current vetting processes. It directly affects every local education agency in Maryland and all educators hired or employed within school systems after the effective date. The key provision standardizes background checks through an established national system to improve transparency in educator hiring.

Maddy summaryHB 897 requires Maryland’s Department of Transportation (MDOT), working with the Maryland Energy Administration, to estimate the number of electric vehicles (EVs) needed to meet existing environmental goals and plan for sufficient public and private EV charging stations to support those vehicles. The bill mandates MDOT to develop specific plans and programs to expand charging infrastructure by 2025, including determining where stations should be located. It does not fund new infrastructure directly but sets a process for planning based on projected EV usage. This affects MDOT’s planning responsibilities and indirectly shapes future EV charging access for Maryland residents and businesses.

Maddy summaryHB 544 reclassifies intentional nonconsensual physical contact that a reasonable person would find offensive (but not causing injury) as a misdemeanor, known as "assault in the third degree." It defines this as intentionally causing offensive contact, making someone fear it, or attempting it, while explicitly excluding cases involving physical injury, domestic violence, or sexual crimes. The bill sets penalties of up to 90 days in jail or a $500 fine for violations. This change directly affects individuals charged with minor assault offenses and modifies how such cases are prosecuted under Maryland law.

Maddy summaryHB 38 requires Maryland county school boards to submit annual reports by July 1 each year to the Department of Planning and the Interagency Commission on School Construction. These reports must include school zone boundaries, attendance area maps, and student residence locations (without personal identifying information). The bill also prohibits counties from using "adequate public facilities ordinances" to restrict housing developments for more than four years after the ordinance is enacted. These changes directly affect county governments, school boards, and housing developers by standardizing school zone reporting and limiting long-term housing restrictions.

Maddy summaryThis Maryland law, known as the Gun Industry Accountability Act of 2024, allows the state and private individuals to sue firearm companies for creating public nuisances if they knowingly sell or market products that cause harm to the public. The bill requires these industry members to implement strict controls to prevent sales to prohibited persons, such as convicted felons or straw purchasers, and to stop the theft or loss of firearms. Violations of these rules can lead to civil lawsuits seeking monetary damages, court orders to stop specific practices, and legal fees, without requiring proof that the company intended to break the law. Additionally, the act directs the Attorney General to study whether the state can legally require gun manufacturers to pay for the costs of crime prevention and victim compensation.