Del. Kent Roberson

Maddy summaryHB 609 modifies Maryland's legislative scholarship programs to exempt students planning to complete the Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria program from standard exam requirements. It specifically allows senatorial and delegate scholarships to cover costs for the Practical Applications of Real Estate Appraisal Program (administered by the Appraisal Foundation). This change directly affects students pursuing real estate appraisal licensure who would otherwise need to meet typical scholarship exam rules. The bill amends Sections 18-402(4) and 18-405(b)(3) of the Maryland Annotated Code to include this program under eligible scholarship uses.

Maddy summaryHB 1185 allows Maryland public high schools to permit homeschool students enrolled in state-approved home instruction programs to join school sports teams under the same conditions as enrolled students. It specifically requires schools to follow COMAR guidelines for home instruction programs and gives priority to enrolled students if team spots are limited. The bill amends Maryland’s education code to clarify that homeschoolers in compliant programs may participate in athletic activities outside regular school hours without earning academic credit. It takes effect on July 1, 2025, directly affecting homeschool families and public high school athletic departments.

Maddy summaryHB 1346, the PACE Act, protects criminal defendants and juvenile respondents from having their creative works (like music, poetry, art, or film) used as evidence against them in court. The bill requires courts to make four specific findings before admitting such expression: that the creator intended it literally (not figuratively), it directly relates to the specific crime, it addresses disputed facts, and it has unique value not available through other evidence. This applies to all criminal and juvenile proceedings, with an exception allowing creative expression to be used in juvenile cases for mental health evaluations. The law aims to prevent artistic expression from being misinterpreted as confessions or evidence of guilt without strong judicial scrutiny.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits violent acts in medical facilities and places of worship by adding a felony penalty for such offenses. It defines "medical facilities" broadly to include hospitals, clinics, and health agencies, and "places of worship" as nonresidential religious gathering spaces. Violating this law subjects offenders to up to 10 additional years in prison, with penalties running consecutively to sentences for the underlying violent crime. The law directly affects anyone committing violence in these locations, enhancing penalties for crimes committed in these specific settings.

Maddy summaryHB 733 allows candidates running for county school boards in Maryland to voluntarily include their party affiliation on their candidacy forms and ballots. Local election offices must display this information if provided by the candidate and cannot disqualify a candidate for including it. The bill maintains that school board elections remain nonpartisan, meaning party labels appear only for voter information without changing the election's nonpartisan status. This directly affects candidates seeking school board seats and local election offices preparing ballots.

Maddy summaryHB 1458 proposes a constitutional amendment to guarantee that tipped workers in Maryland earn at least the state minimum wage regardless of tips received. It directly affects service industry workers (like servers and bartenders) currently paid below minimum wage under "tip credit" systems. The amendment would bar the state from denying this right unless justified by a compelling interest using the least restrictive means. If approved by voters in the 2026 election, it would require employers to pay the full minimum wage without counting tips toward that amount. This changes current practice where employers can pay a lower base wage if tips make up the difference.

Maddy summaryHB 1522 exempts certain religious educational institutions in Maryland from needing a certificate of approval from the Maryland Higher Education Commission to operate. It applies to schools established for religious purposes that offer only sectarian instruction aligned with a specific faith, provide programs solely for religious vocations, and state the religious nature of their awards. However, institutions established before January 1, 2013, and those accredited by a U.S. Department of Education-recognized body remain subject to the approval requirement. The bill amends Maryland’s Education Article (§11-202.1(b)) and takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 697 requires Maryland health insurance carriers to submit quarterly reports to the Maryland Insurance Commissioner about their use of artificial intelligence (AI) and automated decision-making systems. Specifically, carriers must report details on AI system deployment (including training data sources, purpose, and bias testing), as well as expanded demographic data on grievances and adverse decisions (broken down by zip code, race, ethnicity, gender, and age). The bill also updates existing reporting rules to include the monetary value of grievance decisions and timeframes for handling cases. These reports will enable the Commissioner to compile annual oversight summaries and identify potential disparities in insurance practices.

Maddy summaryHB 941 requires the Governor to include at least $5 million annually in the state budget for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) starting in fiscal year 2027, continuing until a total of $321,181,312 is appropriated. This addresses a historical funding disparity identified by the state legislature, where UMES (as Maryland’s 1890 land-grant institution) received less per-student state funding than UM College Park (the 1862 land-grant institution) from 1987-2020. Funds must be supplemental to existing appropriations and can be used for infrastructure, faculty, scholarships, or other institutional needs identified by UMES. The bill aims to fully remedy the $321 million shortfall over time through mandatory annual appropriations.

Maddy summaryHB 985 allows Maryland counties to establish a second administrative charging committee for reviewing police misconduct complaints, if the county governing body determines one committee is insufficient to serve all countywide and local law enforcement agencies. This bill amends existing law by adding a new provision (Section 3-104(a)(1)(II)) that permits counties to authorize a second committee under specific circumstances. The key mechanism requires county officials to formally decide that a single committee cannot adequately handle the volume of cases, without changing the committee composition or disciplinary standards. The bill directly affects county governments and law enforcement agencies by providing administrative flexibility in handling misconduct investigations.