Del. Andrea Harrison

Maddy summaryHB 553 requires Maryland's Medicaid program (Maryland Medical Assistance Program) to cover self-measured blood pressure monitoring for eligible pregnant, postpartum, or chronically ill individuals starting January 1, 2026. It specifically covers Medicaid recipients with conditions like diabetes, heart disease, chronic kidney disease, or cardiometabolic disorders. The bill mandates coverage for validated home blood pressure monitors and reimburses healthcare providers for training, data interpretation, and remote monitoring support. Additionally, it requires the state to launch an education campaign and submit annual reports on usage, health outcomes, and cost savings related to the program.

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 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 482 establishes a formal review process for occupational license applicants in Maryland with nonviolent criminal histories. It prevents state departments (like Health, Labor, or Agriculture) from automatically denying licenses based solely on past convictions, requiring them to assess if the crime directly relates to the job or poses an unreasonable safety risk. Applicants can request a binding "predetermination" review, which departments must base on factors like time since conviction, offense severity, and rehabilitation efforts. If denied, applicants may submit revised requests after completing recommended remedial actions, with a $100 fee (waivable for low-income applicants). The law directly affects individuals seeking state-licensed jobs (e.g., nursing, cosmetology) who have nonviolent criminal records but face licensing barriers.

Maddy summaryHB 853 (Maryland Second Look Act) allows individuals serving prison sentences of 20+ years to petition courts for sentence reduction under specific conditions. To qualify, petitioners must have served at least 20 years and wait 5 years after any prior petition, with a maximum of three petitions total. Courts must hold hearings considering factors like rehabilitation, victim input, the individual’s age at the offense, and safety risks, and must publicly state their reasons for granting or denying relief. The law applies retroactively to eligible individuals already serving long sentences.

Maddy summaryHB 1424, the "Protect Our Federal Workers Act," expands state financial assistance to Maryland residents affected by federal government disruptions beyond just shutdowns. It renames the "Federal Government Shutdown Employee Assistance Loan Fund" to the "Federal Government Employee Assistance Loan Fund" and broadens eligibility to include current federal employees not paid during shutdowns *and* Maryland residents recently terminated due to federal office closures, relocations, or mass layoffs. The bill allows funds from the state’s Catastrophic Event Account to cover costs for these individuals, administered by the Maryland Department of Labor. This changes existing law to provide loans for both ongoing shutdowns and post-layoff financial hardship from federal facility changes.

Maddy summaryHB 1062 requires Maryland's Department of the Environment to coordinate cybersecurity planning for community water and sewer systems with the Department of Information Technology and the Maryland Department of Emergency Management. It mandates that water and sewer providers (both public and private) implement cybersecurity measures meeting or exceeding federal standards, report cyber incidents, and plan for service disruptions caused by attacks like ransomware. The bill also requires updating certification training for operators to include cybersecurity awareness and establishes minimum standards for these systems. These changes directly affect all community water and sewer providers in Maryland, aiming to strengthen their digital defenses against threats to critical infrastructure.

Maddy summaryHB 1352 prohibits Maryland institutions of higher education from denying students access to facilities or services due to sickle cell disease diagnosis and requires them to provide reasonable accommodations. The bill mandates the Maryland Department of Health to develop an education campaign for campuses about sickle cell disease challenges, create uniform procedures with the Maryland Higher Education Commission for supporting affected students, and compile training materials for faculty and staff. Institutions must also establish clear reporting procedures for violations and publicly share accommodation policies. These requirements take effect October 1, 2025, directly impacting all Maryland colleges and universities and students with sickle cell disease.

Maddy summaryHB 771 requires all public elementary and secondary students in Maryland to submit a certificate of dental health to their school starting in the 2027-2028 school year. The Maryland Department of Health must establish a program creating standardized dental exam requirements, a uniform certificate form, and resources for parents and students - including insurance guidance, dentist directories, and information on dental health’s connection to overall well-being. The program will be implemented to allow schools to collect these certificates beginning in 2027-2028. The law directly affects every student enrolled in Maryland’s public schools and mandates specific administrative steps for the health department.