Del. Mary Lehman

Maddy summaryHB 156 allows unaffiliated voters in Maryland to affiliate with a political party during early voting for primary elections. Specifically, unaffiliated voters can request to change their party affiliation at an early voting center and receive a provisional ballot for their chosen party. The bill amends election law to permit this change during early voting periods, requiring election judges to verify the voter's county residency before issuing the provisional ballot. This change applies only to primary elections and does not alter standard voter registration rules or deadlines for affiliation. The bill does not affect voting eligibility for other elections or nonpartisan contests.

Maddy summaryHB 832, the "ICE Breaker Act," prohibits Maryland state law enforcement agencies from hiring individuals who were hired as sworn officers by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on or after January 20, 2025. It applies specifically to agencies defined in the bill, including the Maryland State Police, Maryland Transportation Authority Police, and others listed in Section 3-535 of the Maryland Annotated Code. The law only affects new hires after its effective date (October 1, 2026), with no retroactive application to current employees hired before that date. The bill creates a clear hiring restriction for these state agencies regarding individuals with recent ICE employment.

Maddy summaryHB 1306 requires courts to order individuals under court-ordered assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) to surrender firearms to law enforcement and prohibits firearm possession during the AOT period, if the court determines the person poses a risk of causing physical harm with a firearm. This applies specifically to people already subject to AOT orders under Maryland law, not the general public. Key provisions include mandating court risk assessments, requiring surrender to police (with receipts and storage details), allowing limited transportation of firearms under court orders, and permitting firearm return upon AOT order expiration - unless the person is otherwise barred from firearm ownership. The bill amends Maryland’s health code to integrate these firearm restrictions into existing AOT proceedings.

Maddy summaryHB 1313 would exempt incarcerated individuals in Maryland from paying tuition at public colleges and universities, directly affecting those enrolled in higher education programs within correctional facilities. The bill requires incarcerated individuals to apply for non-loan financial aid (like grants), which must first cover their tuition costs; the exemption then applies to any remaining tuition after aid is applied. It does not cover student loans and applies regardless of other scholarships or grants received. The exemption takes effect July 1, 2026, for all public higher education institutions in Maryland.

Maddy summaryHB 1492 establishes the right to strike for specific public school and library employees in Maryland, including certificated and noncertificated staff like substitute teachers, nurses, and JROTC instructors in certain counties. The bill prohibits public school and library employers from taking disciplinary action against employees who participate in or support strikes. It repeals the Public Employee Relations Board’s authority to deny or revoke a union’s certification as an exclusive bargaining representative under certain circumstances. These changes apply to defined groups of employees under Maryland’s Education Article, ensuring their collective bargaining rights are protected from employer retaliation.

Maddy summaryHB 1205 establishes a minimum wage of $25.00 per hour for non-certified, non-supervisory school support staff (such as aides, clerks, and cafeteria workers) beginning July 1, 2028. It requires all Maryland county school boards to pay these employees at least this rate, directly affecting over 20,000 education support professionals statewide. The bill also mandates the State Department of Education to submit a cost report by December 1, 2026, with detailed estimates broken down by school system to implement this wage change.

Maddy summaryHJ 2 is a Maryland legislative resolution urging the U.S. Congress to pass H.R. 5356, which would establish a federal National Infrastructure Bank. The resolution highlights Maryland’s urgent infrastructure needs, including repairing 1,563 bridges, fixing aging water systems, addressing housing shortages, and reducing traffic congestion. It requests Congress create a $5 trillion bank modeled on historical infrastructure financing, projected to fund repairs and new projects without new taxes while creating jobs and growing the economy. The resolution does not create the bank itself but formally asks Congress to enact the supporting federal legislation.

Maddy summaryHB 1157 requires health insurance carriers in Maryland to annually report detailed data on mental health and substance use coverage to the Insurance Commissioner using a standardized template. This data includes access to services by facility type (e.g., outpatient, inpatient), provider type (e.g., psychiatrists, psychologists), and demographics (e.g., youth vs. adult, in-person vs. telehealth), along with network accuracy and availability. The Commissioner must make this data publicly accessible via a website with interactive dashboards. The law directly affects all health insurance companies offering plans in Maryland, aiming to improve transparency about coverage gaps in mental health care.

Maddy summaryHB 981 requires Maryland's Public Service Commission to use the 10-year average U.S. equity market return when setting base rates for investor-owned gas and electric utilities. The Commission must determine this rate using multiple objective sources and may adjust utility rates based on how risky a company's operations are compared to the market return. This directly affects gas and electric utility companies and their customers by changing how rates are calculated for service. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 381 requires Maryland's State Highway Administration to install traffic control devices prohibiting right turns on red at specific intersections on state highways in urban cores and urban centers by July 1, 2029. It directly affects drivers at these intersections by changing the default rule from "turns on red are permitted unless prohibited" to "turns on red are prohibited unless allowed by a sign." The bill amends existing law to mandate these devices while allowing exceptions if installation would significantly impair public safety. The law takes effect October 1, 2026, with full implementation required by 2029.