Del. Tiffany Alston

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 573 updates Maryland's requirements for expanded function dental assistants (EFDA). It requires the State Board of Dental Examiners to approve specific types of training programs (like accredited college courses or programs from the Dental Assisting National Board) for EFDA certification, and mandates that initial certification courses offer online options when appropriate. The bill also sets clear rules for reinstating expired EFDA certifications, requiring completion of continuing education (which must include online options), timely renewal applications, and payment of fees. These changes directly affect dental assistants seeking or renewing their EFDA certification in Maryland.

Maddy summaryHB 1027 creates a workgroup to study implementing a statewide 3-1-1 nonemergency telephone system in Maryland. The workgroup, composed of 12 members including state agency representatives, county officials, and industry stakeholders, will review existing 3-1-1 services, best practices from other states, and potential solutions for a statewide system. It will develop recommendations on oversight, feasibility, and a virtual portal, reporting findings to the Governor and legislature by November 1, 2025. This bill does not establish the 3-1-1 system itself but directs a study to inform future policy. The workgroup expires June 30, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 345 would allow social workers licensed in Maryland to practice in other states that join the Social Work Licensure Compact without needing separate licenses. The bill establishes a Compact Commission to manage mutual recognition of licenses, reduce duplicate requirements, and ensure accountability for social workers practicing across state lines. This directly affects licensed social workers, military families (who benefit from easier mobility), and clients seeking services in multiple states. The key mechanism is creating a standardized system for license portability while requiring social workers to follow the laws of the state where the client is located during service.

Maddy summaryHB 1468 transfers Maryland's Cyber Maryland Program from the Maryland Technology Development Corporation to the Maryland Department of Labor, restructuring its governance and operations. The bill requires the Program to award competitive grants for IT/OT workforces starting in fiscal year 2026, alters how the Cyber Maryland Fund can be used (including rolling over unused balances), and updates the Program's purpose to focus on creating a cybersecurity talent pipeline to reduce workforce vacancies by July 2026. It also mandates the Program to coordinate with cybersecurity industry groups, develop a statewide workforce plan, and ensure diversity in outcomes. These changes directly affect Maryland employers seeking cybersecurity talent and state workforce development programs.

Maddy summaryHB 957 requires state contractors to ensure a specified percentage of workers on certain projects are Maryland residents and that a certain percentage of work hours are performed by residents. It directs the Maryland Department of Labor to enforce these residency requirements for state procurement contracts. Contractors who violate these rules may be debarred from future state contracts, with debarment triggered by specific violations like criminal convictions related to contracting or failure to meet residency standards. The bill amends existing procurement law and adds new sections (17-6B-01 to 17-6B-05) to establish these requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 1246 requires Maryland health insurers, nonprofit health plans, and health maintenance organizations to include certain patient discounts, financial assistance, product vouchers, or out-of-pocket expenses paid for prescription drugs when calculating cost-sharing (like copays or deductibles). This applies to covered drugs without a preferred generic equivalent or where prior authorization was needed, but excludes high-deductible health plans. The bill also mandates that providers notifying insureds about the maximum value and expiration date of these discounts. It takes effect January 1, 2026, for all health plans issued or renewed in Maryland after that date. The law directly affects Maryland residents using prescription drug coverage under these health plans.

Maddy summaryHB 1199 creates a new 3-year limited license for internationally trained physicians to practice medicine in Maryland, effective October 1, 2027. It directly affects foreign-trained doctors who meet strict criteria, including holding a WHO-recognized medical degree, completing 2+ years of equivalent postgraduate training, practicing for 5+ years in their home country, passing U.S. medical exams (USMLE Steps 1-3), and residing in Maryland for at least one year. The license cannot be renewed but may lead to full licensure through conditions set by the State Board of Physicians. This provision does not change existing full licensure pathways but adds a temporary option for eligible international physicians.

Maddy summaryHB 429 allows counties in Maryland to request the Department of Health to delegate authority for inspecting nursing homes (including site visits and full surveys) to county staff. If a county makes such a request, the Department and the county must equally share the costs of these inspections. This bill directly affects nursing homes (which may be inspected by county staff instead of state staff) and counties that choose to assume this responsibility. It does not change existing inspection frequency requirements but adds a new option for conducting inspections.

Maddy summaryHB 1544 establishes the Maryland Law Enforcement Public Service Medal, the state's highest honor for officers demonstrating extraordinary bravery, sacrifice, or impact on public safety during critical incidents. It requires a law enforcement agency to grant a one-grade promotion to medal recipients and creates a review committee to evaluate nominations from agencies, officials, or community groups. The bill also mandates an annual state ceremony honoring six specific workers who died in the 2024 Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, listing them on a permanent honor roll at the State House. This affects current and future law enforcement officers eligible for the medal and directly memorializes the Key Bridge victims.