Del. Marvin Holmes

Maddy summaryHB 853 creates a State Board of Common Ownership Community Managers within Maryland’s Department of Labor to license and regulate professionals managing residential communities. It directly affects condominiums, cooperatives, and homeowners associations (excluding timeshares) by requiring community managers to hold licenses, mandating community registration under certain conditions, and requiring contracts to include fidelity bonds or theft insurance. Key provisions include setting licensing standards, specifying required contract terms for management services, and establishing a dedicated fund to cover board operations. The bill aims to standardize oversight for community management services across Maryland’s residential communities.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires recipients of Maryland state and local government funding to report annually to the Comptroller on how they use those funds, including details about any contractors or subcontractors they hire. Entities receiving payments for providing goods or services must also include this information on their income tax returns, such as the number of employees, work locations, and whether contractors are certified minority businesses. The Comptroller will then compile this data and submit a summary report to the General Assembly each year, showing the percentage of in-state versus out-of-state contractors, average employee counts, and the share of minority business enterprises. These reporting requirements apply to state, county, and municipal government units as well as individuals and corporations that receive public funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a state income tax credit for Maryland residents aged 77 and older to help reduce their tax burden. Eligible taxpayers must have federal adjusted gross income below $175,000 for individuals or $250,000 for couples filing jointly. The credit amount increases with age, ranging from 25% of the state income tax for those turning 77 to a full 100% credit for those aged 80 and older. The bill applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025, and prevents taxpayers from claiming both this credit and another existing senior tax credit in the same year.

Maddy summaryHB 935 requires Maryland to establish a dedicated prerelease facility for female incarcerated individuals, directly affecting women eligible for prerelease programs at the Maryland Correctional Institution for Women. The bill mandates a separate facility meeting specific criteria: at least 3 acres, not within 1 mile of other prisons, and designed to house 1.25 times the 2024 prerelease-eligible population. It requires the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to provide comprehensive rehabilitative services (including gender-responsive programming) and report progress to legislative committees by a specified deadline. The facility must operate by June 1, 2023, with the Department of General Services directing procurement for its construction.

Maddy summaryHB 869 creates a special license for manufacturers or distributors that sell *only* electric or nonfossil-fuel vehicles, allowing them to operate as dealers in Maryland. This license is restricted to the City of Bowie only, with no more than one such dealership permitted there. The bill modifies vehicle dealer licensing rules to require that applicants have no existing dealerships in Maryland and must not control other dealerships under the same provisions. It directly affects EV-focused manufacturers/distributors seeking to establish a Bowie-based dealership. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 488 establishes the geographic boundaries for Maryland's eight congressional districts for the 2026 elections. It specifies exact county and election district portions, using census tract data to define district lines where precincts are split, based on boundaries as they existed on January 13, 2026. This bill directly affects voters in Maryland's congressional districts by determining which communities are grouped together for electing U.S. Representatives. It replaces previous election law sections (8-702 through 8-709) and clarifies that certain districting rules apply only to state legislative districts, not congressional ones.

Maddy summaryHB 537 establishes a formal "Bill of Rights" for residential owners in Maryland's common ownership communities, including condominiums, cooperative housing corporations, and homeowners associations. The bill directly affects unit owners, cooperative members, and lot owners by guaranteeing specific rights, such as the right to receive an annual budget prioritizing community facilities, the right to use community facilities at no more than half the cost charged to non-residents, and the right to vote via secret ballot for governing bodies. Key provisions require governing bodies to provide advance meeting notices, allow remote participation in open meetings, and ensure fair debt repayment for major projects. The bill codifies these rights into Maryland law without creating new enforcement mechanisms, building on prior Task Force recommendations and a 2008 Uniform Law Commission model.

Maddy summaryHB 438 establishes the Adult Prison School Board Model Development Committee to create a school board system for correctional education in Maryland's prisons and juvenile facilities. The committee, composed of state officials, correctional education representatives, and experts (including formerly incarcerated individuals and nonprofit advocates), must develop a funding and operational plan by June 2028, examining costs for staff, materials, and budget management. This procedural bill does not enact immediate policy changes but sets a timeline for recommendations to the Governor and legislature. It expires automatically on June 30, 2028, after its two-year study period.

Maddy summaryHB 556 creates a property tax credit for Maryland households that spend a significant portion of their income on utilities. It allows Baltimore City or local counties to grant a credit against property taxes for "eligible individuals" who pay at least 25% of their household net income on utility services (electricity, gas, water, or internet) for their primary residence. Local governments would determine the credit amount, duration, and additional eligibility rules through their own ordinances. The credit applies to property taxes on the dwelling, not utility bills directly, and would take effect for taxable years starting after June 30, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 469 requires all owners of residential condominium units (excluding detached units) in Maryland to maintain specific insurance coverage. This includes minimum $500,000 personal liability coverage, $25,000 loss assessment coverage, 12 months of loss-of-use coverage for alternate housing, and dwelling coverage for owner-improvements. The condo council can purchase insurance for non-compliant owners and charge the premium as an assessment, while requiring annual proof of coverage from unit owners. The bill aims to ensure adequate insurance for individual units and shared property risks within residential condominium communities.