Del. Jheanelle Wilkins

Maddy summaryHB 414 changes Maryland's jury service rules by removing a disqualification for people currently on parole or probation for crimes punishable by more than one year in prison. Previously, individuals serving such sentences (including parole) were barred from jury duty, but this bill eliminates that specific barrier. The bill maintains disqualifications for crimes involving perjury, witness intimidation, jury intimidation, or certain offenses under Maryland's Criminal Law (Title 8). It also preserves requirements that jurors must understand English to complete qualification forms. This change would allow more people with past convictions to serve on juries, provided they meet all other eligibility criteria.

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 551 repeals specific sections of Maryland's Criminal Law that prohibited certain drug paraphernalia and controlled paraphernalia. It removes prohibitions related to items like syringes, packaging materials, and cutting agents used with controlled substances (excluding cannabis). The bill directly affects individuals who might possess these items under current law, as the repeal eliminates criminal penalties for such possession. This change modifies Maryland's legal definitions and prohibitions regarding drug paraphernalia by deleting the referenced sections from the Annotated Code.

Maddy summaryHB 542 expands Maryland's Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for low-income residents without qualifying children by raising the income level at which the credit begins to phase out. Specifically, it increases the phase-out threshold from $19,160 to higher amounts that will automatically adjust annually for inflation starting in 2026. This change directly benefits working Marylanders earning below the new phase-out limits, allowing them to retain more of their EITC. The bill modifies existing tax code (Section 10-704) to implement these higher income thresholds and annual inflation adjustments.

Maddy summaryHB 500, the Procurement Reform Act of 2025, streamlines Maryland state government purchasing by transferring key authority from the Secretary of General Services to the Chief Procurement Officer. It adjusts dollar thresholds requiring public notice or reporting for procurements, modifies small business preference programs (including expanding eligibility for small business reserves), and adds new requirements for contractors to submit workforce diversity plans for contracts over $500,000. The bill also creates a procurement preference for businesses certified for "good labor practices" and mandates that certain agencies establish working groups to address procurement issues. These changes directly affect state agencies, contractors (especially small businesses), and the Office of Small, Minority, and Women Business Affairs, which gains oversight of new workforce diversity rules.

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 1100 requires Maryland's Department of Health, working with the Commission on Health Equity, to create a public data dashboard showing health disparities. The dashboard must display age-adjusted health data broken down by race, ethnicity, and gender, covering specific areas like health insurance access, cardiovascular disease, mental health, cancer, and HIV/AIDS. The Department must update the dashboard at least every 30 days and post the latest version prominently on its website. This law directly affects Maryland residents by making health equity data more accessible to the public, researchers, and health officials.

Maddy summaryHB 970 prohibits Maryland health insurers, nonprofit health plans, and health maintenance organizations from requiring patients to try less expensive diabetes medications before covering insulin. It directly affects people with type 1, type 2, or gestational diabetes who rely on insulin or similar insulin analogs for treatment. The bill bans "step therapy" or "fail-first" protocols - where insurers force patients to attempt alternative drugs first - regardless of how insurers label these policies. This change takes effect for all new or renewed health insurance policies on or after January 1, 2026.

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 1251 (Doula and Birth Policy Transparency Act) requires hospitals and freestanding birth centers in Maryland to adopt and submit to the Department of Health a specific policy on obstetric care by January 1, 2026. The policy must guarantee birthing parents can have a certified doula present during birth, prioritize newborn bonding, prohibit significant medical interventions (like C-sections or forceps) without informed consent, and detail medical information transfers between providers. Medical liability insurers must also provide the Department of Health with coverage details for obstetric services, including vaginal birth after C-section, upon request. This bill directly affects health care facilities providing obstetric services and insurers, aiming to increase transparency and patient choice in birth settings.