Del. Derrick Coley

Maddy summaryHB 1309 establishes a Commission to study racial disparities in Maryland’s criminal justice system, directly affecting African American, Hispanic, and other non-White individuals who experience disproportionate treatment. The Commission, composed of legislative leaders, public defenders, prosecutors, court officials, and community advocates, will examine disparities in policing, arrests, sentencing, and data collection. It will specifically assess cumulative impacts of disparate practices, mandatory minimums (including firearm offenses), and propose reforms like race-neutral risk assessments and expanded judicial discretion. The Commission must make recommendations by 2028, focusing on systemic changes to improve transparency and reduce racial inequities without implementing new laws itself.

Maddy summaryHB 1575, the Community Trust Act, prohibits state and local correctional facilities and their employees from detaining individuals or sharing information with federal immigration authorities based on immigration status, except when required by a judicial warrant or for routine booking. It bans asking about citizenship, prolonging detention for immigration reasons, transferring individuals to immigration authorities without a warrant, or coercing people based on immigration status. Exceptions include when immigration status relates to legal protections under state/federal law or international treaties, allowing facilities to notify individuals or offer voluntary disclosure. Correctional facilities must adopt policies with penalties for violations, and affected individuals can seek damages or injunctions if harmed by a breach.

Maddy summaryHB 524 designates September as African Heritage Month in Maryland by requiring the Governor to annually issue a proclamation recognizing African Americans' contributions to the state. The bill directs the Governor to urge educational and cultural organizations to host programs and activities during this month. It updates Maryland's legal code (specifically renumbering sections in Article 7 of the General Provisions) to include this requirement, effective July 1, 2026. This is a procedural recognition measure with no new funding or regulatory changes.

Maddy summaryHB 1291 requires the Maryland Department of Health to create procedures ensuring seniors aged 65+ who received in-home services within the past six months can temporarily continue care during service lapses caused by departmental errors. The bill mandates that temporary service continuation (up to 52 days or 1,248 hours) begin immediately upon service interruption and cover only previously approved services. It prohibits the department from altering existing appeal rights or billing recipients for services provided during this temporary period. The law applies specifically to seniors facing administrative or technical errors in their Medicaid coverage, ensuring uninterrupted care without financial burden. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 1402 requires Maryland medical examiners to release the body of a deceased Muslim within 48 hours after completing an autopsy, if they receive specific notice confirming the individual's Muslim faith. It directly affects Muslim families seeking timely burial and medical examiners handling post-mortem procedures. The bill specifies five ways medical examiners can receive this notice: a deceased person's will, a document under §5-509, next of kin notification, confirmation from an imam or mosque, or proof of pre-arranged Muslim funeral arrangements. The law aims to align body release timelines with Muslim funeral traditions, which typically require burial within 24 hours of death. The requirement takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 897 (the "Lower Bills and Local Power Act of 2026") requires electric companies operating high-voltage transmission lines (>69,000 volts) in Maryland to join regional transmission organizations. It mandates new application details for certain utility projects, creates a Solar and Energy Storage Market Stabilization Program within the Maryland Energy Administration, and redirects funds from the Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Fund to provide refunds or credits to residential electricity customers. The bill also requires studies on siting transmission lines and battery storage systems within existing rights-of-way and sets deadlines for the Public Service Commission to review project certificates. These provisions directly affect electric utilities, the Public Service Commission, and residential electricity customers through cost adjustments.

Maddy summaryHB 920 requires developers, builders, brokers, and real estate agents to enter the final sale price of new homes into a multiple listing service (MLS) or similar database within 30 days of the sale. This applies to all new home transactions in Maryland and aims to make final sale prices publicly accessible through real estate databases used for market evaluations and appraisals. The bill defines "multiple listing service" as a database utilized by real estate professionals. It takes effect on October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 612 creates a new Certified Peer Recovery Specialist Training Program within Maryland's Department of Labor for incarcerated individuals in state correctional facilities. The bill requires the Director of Correctional Education to consult with the State Correctional Ombudsman when operating education programs and mandates the Department of Labor to establish two new positions: one to support correctional education staff and another to assist certified peer recovery specialists. The program provides funding for training, compensation for participants, and prepares incarcerated individuals to work in behavioral health and community recovery services after release. This directly affects incarcerated individuals in Maryland's correctional system by offering structured career pathways through peer support training.

Maddy summaryHB 562, the "Maintenance of Effort Modernization Act," updates Maryland's method for calculating annual inflation adjustments in local school funding. It replaces the current formula with a new standard that uses the lesser of three measures: the Consumer Price Index for the Washington Metropolitan Area, a government spending index, or 5%, with 0% if neither index rises. This change requires county governments and Baltimore City to adjust their annual local school funding appropriations based on this new inflation metric, starting July 1, 2026. The bill directly affects all Maryland counties and Baltimore City, which are responsible for maintaining local school funding levels.

Maddy summaryHB 350, the "Voting Rights Act of 2026," applies to local elections in Maryland counties and cities, protecting the voting rights of racial, ethnic, and language minority groups. It prohibits election methods that weaken the voting power of these groups, preventing them from electing preferred candidates or influencing election outcomes. Courts will determine violations by examining past election patterns and federal voting rights standards, rather than requiring proof of discriminatory intent. If a violation is found, courts can order remedies like changing election systems, but must respect existing statewide election practices.