Del. Matt Morgan

Maddy summaryHB 864 increases the number of resident judges for St. Mary’s County Circuit Court from 3 to 4, effective October 1, 2025. The bill directly affects St. Mary’s County’s judicial system by adding one permanent judgeship to address caseload needs. It amends Maryland’s Courts and Judicial Proceedings Code (Section 1-503) to reflect this change in the county’s authorized judgeship count. This is a procedural adjustment to judicial staffing, not a new policy or program.

Maddy summaryHB 1535 repeals a surcharge currently added to electric and gas bills in Maryland that funded energy efficiency programs and supported greenhouse gas reduction goals. The bill removes the requirement for utility companies to recover costs for past energy efficiency programs (including those from 2008) through this surcharge and eliminates the need for companies to disclose how the surcharge covers these historical costs. It also amends related provisions that allowed the surcharge to be used for rate relief for residential customers. As a result, the surcharge will no longer appear on customer utility bills.

Maddy summaryHB 1536 creates a 60-day tax- and fee-free period for Maryland residential and commercial customers of electric and gas utilities, suspending specific state taxes and fees during this time. The bill directly affects utility customers by eliminating payments for taxes and fees outlined in sections of the Tax-General and Public Utilities Articles. It requires the Comptroller to announce the period and mandates refunds for any state taxes or fees paid in error during this suspension, whether collected directly by the Comptroller or by public service companies. This policy change provides immediate financial relief for utility customers without altering existing tax structures beyond the specified 60-day period.

Maddy summaryHB 373 requires the Maryland Department of Health to share abortion-related data with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) when requested, unless sharing would violate federal or state law. This law directly affects the Maryland Department of Health, which must comply with CDC data requests unless legal conflicts exist. The key provision mandates routine data submission for public health tracking, with an exception only if state or federal law prohibits it. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025, and does not alter abortion access or medical procedures.

Maddy summaryHB 1357 requires the Maryland Department of Health to annually collect and report detailed cost data for four key reproductive health services: birth (including complications and neonatal care), postpartum care (including mental health), pregnancy care (routine visits and testing), and abortion (procedures, complications, and medication). This data collection applies to hospitals, healthcare providers, and other entities offering these services, with strict privacy safeguards to protect patient information. The department must publish a public report each December starting in 2025, including regional cost comparisons, trend analysis, and recommendations for cost efficiency. The bill aims to improve transparency in healthcare spending and inform policy decisions without changing existing abortion access or services.

Maddy summaryHB 353, the "Maryland’s Constitutional Carry Act of 2025," repeals Maryland’s requirement for residents to obtain a permit to carry handguns in public. It directly affects all Maryland residents who wish to carry handguns without a permit, replacing permit mandates with a new standard allowing carrying "as a reasonable precaution against apprehended danger" (subject to court review). Key provisions include removing all permit-related sections from Maryland law (Public Safety Article §5-301-5-314) and amending Criminal Law sections to eliminate age restrictions for carrying in vehicles on public roads (previously barred for under-21s). The bill maintains existing prohibitions, such as bans on carrying on school property, with intent to harm, or with a loaded handgun.

Maddy summaryHB 1402 requires Maryland's Department of Health (for Medicaid) and Department of Human Services (for SNAP) to share data with federal and state agencies to verify eligibility for public benefits. Key mechanisms include monthly death record checks, quarterly employment/income reviews using tax and unemployment data, and banning self-attestation for income or residency. It proposes a 6-month benefit lockout for Medicaid recipients aged 19-65 who fail to report eligibility changes (excluding disabled or pregnant individuals). The bill also mandates annual retail inspections for SNAP stores and quarterly public reports on fraud investigations and compliance findings.

Maddy summaryHB 1307 requires Maryland law enforcement agencies, agents, and local detention facilities to notify federal immigration authorities when they hold individuals with outstanding criminal warrants and to retain custody for up to 48 hours to facilitate transfer. It mandates cooperation with federal authorities to determine if such individuals are priorities for removal under federal enforcement guidelines. The bill prohibits state, local, or county entities from adopting policies that limit this cooperation. It directly affects law enforcement agencies and detention facilities in Maryland, altering how they handle individuals with active criminal warrants in coordination with federal immigration enforcement.

Maddy summaryHB 734, the Real Time for Violent Crime Act, prohibits incarcerated individuals convicted of first- or second-degree murder from earning sentence reduction credits (diminution credits) that shorten their prison time. It also limits sentence reductions for violent crimes to no more than 10% of the total sentence for those convicted of crimes of violence (as defined in Maryland law), and restricts judges from granting pretrial release to defendants charged with violent crimes if they have pending charges or recent convictions for specific violent offenses. The bill directly affects people serving sentences for murder or violent crimes in Maryland correctional facilities and changes how courts handle sentence reductions and pretrial releases for these cases.

Maddy summaryHB 727 allows drivers or applicants to voluntarily share with Maryland's Motor Vehicle Administration that they or a minor under their care have been diagnosed with certain conditions like autism, ADHD, diabetes, or vision impairments. The Administration must add a brief, non-identifying description of this disclosure to the driver's record, without including the specific diagnosis or personal details. Drivers can later request to have this description removed from their record. The bill aims to help law enforcement better understand and assist individuals with disabilities during emergencies, effective October 1, 2025.