Del. Kym Taylor

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals Maryland's Section 18-601.1 of the Health-General Article, which previously prohibited individuals with HIV from knowingly transferring the virus to others and imposed criminal penalties (fines up to $2,500 or up to 3 years in jail). It directly affects individuals living with HIV who might have been subject to this specific criminal provision. The key mechanism is the removal of the legal prohibition and associated penalties from Maryland's code, effectively eliminating this criminal charge. This change focuses solely on repealing the existing law, not altering broader HIV transmission policies or public health approaches.

Maddy summaryHB 1083 requires Maryland's Department of Health to convene a workgroup by December 2025 to create a plan implementing federal child behavioral health screening and treatment rules (EPSDT). The workgroup must include behavioral health professionals, childhood mental health specialists, parents/caregivers, children with behavioral health needs, and advocates. It will develop strategies for screening, using a specific diagnostic tool for children under 5, and expanding community-based services to address early symptoms, routine care, and crisis needs. The plan must align with federal best practices for children’s behavioral health care access. The department must submit the final plan to the legislature by December 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 850 requires Maryland's Commissioner of Labor and Industry to create and maintain a public data dashboard tracking information about contractors and apprentices working on state public work projects. Contractors must submit weekly data on employee wages, staffing levels, and apprentice details - including trade, certification, demographics, and registration dates - to the Commissioner. The dashboard must be updated monthly, posted prominently on the Labor Department website, and retain 24 months of historical data. This law directly affects all contractors awarded state public work contracts, aiming to increase transparency around wage practices and workforce composition.

Maddy summaryHB 593 (the Raymono A. Russell Act) requires public library operators in Maryland to place an automated external defibrillator (AED) in a prominent, accessible location by January 1, 2026. Libraries must maintain the AED’s functionality and ensure a staff member trained in its use is present whenever the library is open to the public. The law specifically applies to public libraries (excluding school media programs) and grants limited immunity to libraries and trained individuals for AED-related actions. This replaces existing requirements for libraries under the Public Access AED Program.

Maddy summaryHB 384 establishes the Maryland Disability Service Animal Program within the Department of Disabilities. The program requires the Department to select a nonprofit organization to train service animals and creates a dedicated fund to support eligible individuals with disabilities (as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act). Key provisions include referring individuals to the nonprofit trainer, providing funding assistance for service animal training, and encouraging successful participants to help with outreach to others. This directly affects Maryland residents with disabilities who need service animals trained to perform specific tasks for daily living.

Maddy summaryHB 707 (Eric’s ID Law) requires Maryland’s Motor Vehicle Administration to add a voluntary notation for nonapparent disabilities - such as developmental or intellectual disabilities - on driver’s licenses, ID cards, and moped permits. Applicants can choose to indicate this disability without providing proof or paying extra fees, and the notation will appear on the document’s bottom. The law prohibits the Administration from disclosing this information to insurers or using it to refer applicants to medical boards. It also mandates public outreach to inform people about this option. This directly affects individuals with nonapparent disabilities who apply for or renew these documents.

Maddy summaryHB 744 updates Maryland's traffic safety laws by increasing penalties for dangerous driving. It defines reckless driving as driving 30+ miles per hour over the speed limit (previously undefined), adds 2 points to a driver's record for negligent driving, and adds 6 points for speeding over 30 mph above the limit. The bill also redefines aggressive driving as committing two or more specific traffic violations (like tailgating or illegal passing) during a single driving period, with fines up to $1,000. These changes directly affect drivers convicted of these offenses, with the law taking effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 814 requires Maryland's Department of Juvenile Services to submit an annual report to the Senate and House Judiciary Committees by October 1 each year, starting in 2025. The report must cover the department's efforts to promote pre-delinquent programs (including youth service bureaus), collaborate with local governments on establishing these bureaus, assess bureau programs, and other youth offense prevention initiatives. This bill creates a new reporting obligation under Maryland's Human Services Article (Section 9-224) and takes effect July 1, 2025. It directly affects the Department of Juvenile Services by mandating specific annual transparency measures.

Maddy summaryHB 506, the Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act, creates the Maryland Leaders in Environmentally Engaged Farming (LEEF) Program to reduce nutrients in the Chesapeake Bay watershed through voluntary farm conservation practices. The bill establishes a special fund for the program, redefines "healthy soils" for existing soil programs, and exempts certain fishing license holders from needing food establishment licenses. Key provisions include tiered recognition for farms adopting conservation practices, requirements for the Department of Environment to authorize water quality trading credits, and new rules for fisheries management and aquaculture leases. The bill directly affects Maryland farmers, state environmental agencies, and fishing industry participants by changing how conservation incentives and regulations are implemented.

Maddy summaryHB 428 prohibits medical providers from placing liens on owner-occupied homes for unpaid medical debt. It requires courts to specify if a money judgment involves medical debt and mandates including the defendant’s primary residence address in such complaints. The bill adds a new provision (§ 14-203.1) stating that liens on homes where owners live cannot be created for medical debt, and courts must remove such illegal liens while potentially awarding damages. This applies prospectively from October 1, 2025, directly affecting Maryland homeowners and medical providers seeking debt collection.