Del. Anne Healey

Maddy summaryHB 780 allows Maryland's State Highway Administration to lower speed limits by 5 mph on designated urban highways without conducting an engineering and traffic study. It directly affects drivers and pedestrians on urban highways meeting specific criteria (e.g., located in municipal boundaries, near public facilities with high pedestrian traffic, or with curbs/gutters). The bill modifies existing law to exempt these speed reductions from the standard engineering review requirement. This change takes effect October 1, 2025, applying to urban highways under the State Highway Administration's jurisdiction.

Maddy summaryHB 661 grants collective bargaining rights to specific faculty at Maryland's public higher education institutions, including full-time, part-time, and adjunct employees with academic responsibilities (such as teachers, researchers, and department heads) at the University System of Maryland, Morgan State University, and St. Mary’s College of Maryland. It establishes separate bargaining units for faculty at each institution but allows these units to voluntarily combine into a single bargaining unit. The bill excludes officers, supervisors, confidential employees, and student employees from coverage. This legislation amends Maryland’s labor laws to formally define "faculty" and create a framework for collective bargaining negotiations over wages, hours, and working conditions.

Maddy summaryHB 26 requires Maryland's Department of State Police to collect and publish specific missing person data on its website. It mandates that the data be broken down by age, race, and county, include the number of resolved cases from the previous month, and provide an annual summary by December 31 each year. Local law enforcement agencies must submit missing person report details to the State Police as required by the department. This bill directly affects state and local law enforcement agencies responsible for data submission and the public accessing transparent missing person statistics. The policy change focuses solely on standardized data collection and public reporting, with no new investigative procedures or funding.

Maddy summaryHB 1006, the "Protecting Sensitive Locations Act," requires Maryland's Attorney General to create guidelines limiting immigration enforcement at specific sensitive locations like schools, hospitals, places of worship, childcare centers, and domestic violence shelters. State agencies operating at these locations must either adopt policies aligned with the guidelines or submit written justification and existing policies if they choose not to comply. The bill directly affects all Maryland state agencies managing facilities listed in the law, such as public schools, community health centers, and emergency shelters. Its key mechanism is mandating agency adherence to the guidelines or transparent documentation of non-compliance. The law aims to reduce immigration enforcement disruptions at places where vulnerable populations seek essential services.

Maddy summaryHB 211 grants collective bargaining rights to graduate assistants and postdoctoral associates at Maryland's public universities (including the University System, Morgan State, and St. Mary's College). The bill amends Maryland law to remove these workers from an existing exclusion, creating separate bargaining units for them - distinct from faculty or undergraduate student employees. Key provisions define "graduate assistant" as a graduate student in teaching/administrative/research roles and "postdoctoral associate" as a doctoral-level employee in research positions, explicitly including them in collective bargaining protections. This change directly affects these graduate and postdoctoral workers, allowing them to negotiate wages, benefits, and working conditions through union representation.

Maddy summaryHB 958, the Maryland Railway Safety Act of 2025, establishes new safety requirements for railroad operations in Maryland. It mandates a minimum two-person crew for freight trains (excluding hostler/utility service), prohibits blocking grade crossings for more than five minutes, and limits train length to 8,500 feet on main or branch lines. The bill also requires railroads to report hazardous material transportation data to the Commissioner of Labor and Industry (for emergency agencies only, not the public) and mandates installation of wayside detectors on tracks designated Class IV or higher by federal standards. Violations carry civil fines up to $25,000 per incident.

Maddy summaryHB 400 prohibits Maryland state agencies and instrumentalities from using state funds for magnetic levitation (maglev) transportation systems within the state. The bill specifically blocks appropriations for building or operating such systems but allows spending on salaries for staff reviewing permits or approvals for maglev projects. This directly affects state budgeting decisions and any entities seeking state financial support for maglev infrastructure. The law takes effect June 1, 2025, and does not prevent private development of maglev systems.

Maddy summaryHB 48 modifies Maryland law to exclude maglev (magnetic levitation) railroads from the state's condemnation authority, which allows traditional railroads to take private property for track construction. The bill amends Section 5-409 of the Maryland Annotated Code to explicitly state that maglev railroads do not have to follow the same rules as conventional railroads for acquiring land through government-ordered condemnation. This means maglev companies must negotiate land purchases or leases with property owners rather than using the state's power to take property. The bill directly affects maglev railroad operators in Maryland, requiring them to secure land through voluntary agreements.

Maddy summaryThis Maryland bill updates regulations for assisted living managers, primarily by extending the deadline for mandatory licensing and modifying training requirements. It allows managers to delay full licensure until July 1, 2026, while also reducing the required training hours from 80 to a mix of in-person and virtual options, provided the training includes direct faculty interaction. The legislation also clarifies rules for interim managers who step in temporarily and adjusts the composition of the State Board of Long-Term Care Administrators to include more assisted living managers. Additionally, the bill maintains penalties for facilities that fail to employ qualified managers and ensures approved training courses remain affordable and accessible.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Qualified Resident Enrollment Program to help individuals in Maryland who currently lack health insurance access enroll in qualified plans. It defines "qualified residents" as people living in the state who are not incarcerated, regardless of their immigration status, and who do not qualify for existing federal or state assistance programs like Medicaid or Medicare. The program allows the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange to manage enrollment, potentially with help from a third-party contractor, and requires a specific federal waiver approval before it can begin. Additionally, the legislation creates a dedicated fund to finance the program's operations and administration, ensuring it has the necessary resources to function.