Del. Jeff Long

Maddy summaryHB 614 requires every county board of education in Maryland to collect monthly data on energy usage in school buildings and submit it to the Interagency Commission on School Construction. The Commission must then create rules specifying exactly what data to collect and how often to report it. After gathering this data, the Commission must analyze it and provide specific recommendations to county boards for improving school energy efficiency. This bill directly affects county school districts and the state Commission, aiming to standardize energy reporting and drive efficiency improvements in public schools.

Maddy summaryHB 444 prohibits Maryland state and local governments, including county sheriffs and agencies, from entering into new agreements with federal authorities to enforce civil immigration law. It requires existing agreements to be terminated by July 1, 2026, or immediately upon the law’s effective date (June 1, 2026). The bill specifically targets contracts, memorandums, or agreements that allow local entities to assist in federal immigration enforcement under federal laws like 8 U.S.C. § 1103 or § 1357. This directly affects local law enforcement agencies and government bodies that previously collaborated with federal immigration authorities. The law aims to prevent state/local resources from being used for immigration enforcement under federal programs.

Maddy summaryHB 1521 creates a Maryland state income tax credit for individuals and businesses that support at-risk youth through donations, volunteering, or hiring. It allows a 50% credit on contributions to certified organizations (max $5,000 for individuals, $100,000 for businesses), $25 per volunteer day at schools/recreation centers (max $500 annually), and $1,000 per hired at-risk youth (max $5,000 annually). The credit applies only to youth aged 12-25 facing challenges like homelessness, foster care aging out, or living in designated high-poverty areas. Taxpayers must apply for certification through the Department of Commerce, with a $10 million annual cap on total credits.

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 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 1262 restricts federal law enforcement officers' powers in Maryland, requiring them to act in accordance with state law when conducting arrests or executing warrants. It prohibits racial profiling by all law enforcement officers and bans agencies from retaliating against officers who report such profiling. The bill mandates that law enforcement agencies develop written policies addressing racial profiling by a specified deadline and creates civil lawsuits for violations. These changes directly affect federal officers operating in Maryland, state/local agencies, and individuals interacting with law enforcement.

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 1442 expands Maryland's Community Choice Aggregation Pilot Program from being limited to Montgomery County to apply statewide across all counties and Baltimore City. The bill modifies the definition of "community choice aggregator" to include residential electric customers served by specific member-regulated and small rural electric cooperatives. This change allows these cooperatives to participate in local electricity purchasing programs that negotiate better rates for residents, while removing the previous geographic restriction to Montgomery County only. The bill also updates workgroup membership requirements to reflect these expanded program parameters.

Maddy summaryHB 1522 removes a legal exemption that previously protected vehicle rental companies from liability for traffic violations captured by traffic control signal or speed monitoring systems. The bill repeals specific sections of Maryland law (21-202.1 and 21-809) that excluded rental companies and special plate holders from receiving citations for red-light running or speeding violations recorded by these systems. As a result, rental companies will now be directly liable for such violations, facing the same civil penalties as individual vehicle owners. This change affects all vehicle rental companies operating in Maryland, requiring them to address violations recorded by municipal or state monitoring systems. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 1477 establishes Maryland's Ibogaine Clinical Research Grant Program to fund clinical trials on ibogaine - a naturally occurring compound from the iboga plant - for treating opioid use disorder and other neurological conditions. The program, administered by the Maryland Department of Health in consultation with the Department of Veterans and Military Families, awards up to three annual grants to eligible research institutions in Maryland that meet specific criteria (including expertise in neurological disorders and substance use treatment) and require matching funds equal to the grant amount. Funding comes from $500,000 annually (fiscal years 2028-2030) in the Opioid Restitution Fund, with recipients required to conduct FDA-overseen trials and submit quarterly progress and financial reports. The bill aligns with the "Veterans Mental Health Innovations Act" title but does not restrict trials to veterans, focusing instead on broader neurological and opioid use disorder research.