Del. Debra Davis

Maddy summaryHB 912 requires Maryland colleges and universities to train instructors on federal disability laws (the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act) and how to provide academic accommodations for students with disabilities. New instructors must complete this training before teaching, and current instructors must do so by October 1, 2026. The Maryland Higher Education Commission will develop a model training program for institutions to adopt. This law applies to all higher education institutions in Maryland, except those already offering training that meets the required standards.

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 summaryHB 818 allows courts to award reasonable attorney fees and expenses to winning plaintiffs who sue to correct violations of rights protected by Maryland's Constitution or Declaration of Rights (e.g., cases against state agencies or local governments). It also permits fees to winning defendants only if the plaintiff's case was filed in bad faith or without legal basis. Courts must use factors from Maryland Rule 2-703(F)(3) to determine fees, and the law explicitly overrides standard fee limits under Maryland's Tort Claims Act for these cases. The bill applies only to cases filed after its October 1, 2025, effective date.

Maddy summaryHB 1107 limits when incarcerated minors in Maryland can be placed in restrictive housing (like solitary confinement). It prohibits using restrictive housing for discipline, punishment, staff convenience, or retaliation, and requires facilities to prove an immediate safety risk exists with no other options. The bill mandates mental health screenings within one hour of placement, restricts time in restrictive housing to a maximum of six hours, and requires facilities to develop plans for moving minors back to general population or providing alternative programming. It also allows minors to request placement in restrictive housing and revoke that request at any time, with immediate return to general population if withdrawn. This directly affects minors in juvenile correctional facilities and the Department of Juvenile Services.

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.

Maddy summaryHB 836 authorizes county governments in Maryland to grant police accountability boards investigatory and subpoena powers through local law. It directly affects county police accountability boards and local governing bodies, allowing boards to investigate complaints of police misconduct simultaneously with law enforcement agencies. The key provision permits concurrent investigations - meaning accountability boards can probe the same complaint while police departments conduct their own review. This change modifies Maryland’s Annotated Code (Section 3-102(e)) and takes effect October 1, 2025. The bill does not alter existing law enforcement investigation protocols but expands accountability board authority.

Maddy summaryHB 1422 establishes the Maryland Reparations Commission to study and recommend benefits for individuals whose ancestors were enslaved in Maryland or were impacted by historical inequitable government policies (such as housing segregation and redlining during the Jim Crow era). The Commission, composed of 15 members including state officials, historians, community representatives, and public members, will examine U.S. reparations models and potential benefits like monetary compensation, tax rebates, or housing assistance. It must submit a preliminary report by January 2027 and a final report by November 2027 to the Governor and General Assembly. The bill focuses solely on research and recommendations, not on implementing specific reparations.

Maddy summaryHB 1006, the "Protecting Sensitive Locations Act," requires Maryland's Attorney General to create guidelines limiting immigration enforcement at specific sensitive locations like schools, hospitals, places of worship, childcare centers, and domestic violence shelters. State agencies operating at these locations must either adopt policies aligned with the guidelines or submit written justification and existing policies if they choose not to comply. The bill directly affects all Maryland state agencies managing facilities listed in the law, such as public schools, community health centers, and emergency shelters. Its key mechanism is mandating agency adherence to the guidelines or transparent documentation of non-compliance. The law aims to reduce immigration enforcement disruptions at places where vulnerable populations seek essential services.

Maddy summaryHB 1190, the "Criminal Law - Youth Accountability and Safety Act," modifies Maryland's murder statutes to protect individuals who were children at the time of a crime. It prohibits finding someone guilty of first-degree murder under specific circumstances (like crimes committed during burglary or robbery) unless they were the main actor in the offense. The bill creates a process allowing people convicted of first-degree murder before September 30, 2025, who were children at the time and not the main actor, to file a motion for review. Courts must hold hearings to determine if the person could be convicted under current law after October 1, 2025, and may vacate the conviction or resentence without increasing penalties. This directly affects a small number of individuals currently incarcerated for such convictions.

Maddy summaryHB 958, the Maryland Railway Safety Act of 2025, establishes new safety requirements for railroad operations in Maryland. It mandates a minimum two-person crew for freight trains (excluding hostler/utility service), prohibits blocking grade crossings for more than five minutes, and limits train length to 8,500 feet on main or branch lines. The bill also requires railroads to report hazardous material transportation data to the Commissioner of Labor and Industry (for emergency agencies only, not the public) and mandates installation of wayside detectors on tracks designated Class IV or higher by federal standards. Violations carry civil fines up to $25,000 per incident.