Del. Jamila Woods

Maddy summaryHB 1146, the "Sacred Places Safety Act," prohibits committing any crime of violence (as defined in Maryland law) within medical facilities or places of worship. It directly affects individuals who commit such acts in these locations, which include hospitals, clinics, and nonresidential religious gathering spaces. The bill increases penalties by making such violations a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison, in addition to penalties for the underlying violent crime. This law takes effect June 1, 2026, and applies to all relevant locations statewide.

Maddy summaryHB 1202 requires Maryland's State Board of Education to develop content standards on Palestinian culture and history for inclusion in social studies curriculum standards by December 2026. These standards must cover historical presence, cultural traditions, impacts of displacement, and Palestinian identity as a distinct ethnic group, while emphasizing factual, nonpartisan teaching and critical thinking. Starting in the 2027-2028 school year, all public schools must integrate this content into social studies. The bill also updates bullying policies to explicitly prohibit anti-Palestinian bias and mandates county boards to create age-appropriate curriculum guides in collaboration with educators and community stakeholders.

Maddy summaryHB 825 (Tahjai's Law) requires Maryland's Governor to annually proclaim May as "Brain Health and Chronic Headache Awareness Month," aligning with national brain tumor awareness efforts. It establishes a permanent Maryland Brain Health Grant Fund to provide financial support to nonprofits, healthcare providers, and community programs for brain health awareness, screening, prevention, and services like treatment for brain tumors, chronic headaches, and traumatic brain injury. The Maryland Department of Health must develop guidelines for incorporating brain health evaluations into routine physical exams and recommend insurance coverage parity for necessary diagnostic tools. Additionally, the Department must submit annual reports on brain tumor prevalence, emergency visits related to brain conditions, access to diagnostic imaging, and barriers to care.

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 1264 requires Maryland's Medical Assistance Program (Medicaid for low-income residents) to cover individual and group counseling for tobacco cessation, subject to state budget and federal law limits. It prohibits the program and managed care organizations from demanding prior authorization for any tobacco cessation product or service. This bill directly affects Medicaid beneficiaries seeking to quit tobacco use and their healthcare providers. The law amends existing Maryland health code sections to implement these coverage requirements and remove authorization barriers.

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 1153 prohibits health insurers, nonprofit health service plans, HMOs, and managed care organizations in Maryland from unilaterally lowering medical claim payments (downcoding) without clinical justification. The bill requires these entities to notify providers within 30 days if they intend to downcode, including specific reasons, references to clinical guidelines, and the original vs. revised codes. It bans practices like downcoding based solely on diagnosis codes, using AI without reviewing medical records, or targeting providers treating complex conditions, and mandates emergency claims be downcoded based on documented symptoms - not final diagnoses. A downcoding decision resulting in nonpayment is treated as a coverage denial, allowing providers to appeal under existing law.

Maddy summaryHB 1238 would impose a surtax on the taxable income of Maryland residents with ultra-high net worth and a one-time wealth tax on their net worth exceeding a set threshold. It directly affects Maryland residents whose net worth surpasses the specified amount, requiring them to pay additional taxes based on their income and total assets. The revenue would fund the Maryland Strategic Investment and Stabilization Fund, which must be used to reduce the state’s budget deficit or support education, behavioral health services, affordable housing, and infrastructure - specifically as outlined in the bill’s provisions. The surtax applies to taxable income, while the wealth tax is a single payment calculated using fair market value of assets minus liabilities.