Rep. Brian Crosby

Maddy summaryHB 928 modifies Maryland's will execution rules to prevent conflicts of interest involving spouses or domestic partners. It prohibits a married person or someone in a registered domestic partnership from signing a will while their spouse or partner is present, and bans witnesses from also signing the will of that person's spouse or partner. These changes apply only to wills created on or after October 1, 2025, and do not affect existing wills. The bill directly affects individuals in married or registered domestic partnerships when creating or witnessing wills.

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 125 amends Maryland's judicial code to increase the required number of resident judges for St. Mary's County Circuit Court from 3 to 4. This change modifies Section 1-503 of the Annotated Code of Maryland, which specifies the number of judges for each county's circuit court. The bill takes effect on October 1, 2025, directly affecting the staffing structure of St. Mary's County's judicial system. This is a procedural adjustment to judicial staffing requirements, not a substantive policy change.

Maddy summaryHB 977, known as "Jamari's Law," increases penalties for manslaughter caused by grossly negligent driving or vessel operation in Maryland. It raises the maximum prison sentence for a first offense from 10 to 20 years and for repeat offenses (including prior convictions in other states for similar offenses) from 15 to 30 years. The bill directly affects drivers or vessel operators convicted of causing death through gross negligence, without requiring proof of the specific manner of death in court. It amends existing Maryland criminal law to strengthen sentencing for these offenses, effective October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 391 changes election rules for county boards of education in Calvert, Cecil, Garrett, and Montgomery counties. The bill requires that members representing specific districts (like commissioner districts or board of education districts) be elected solely by voters within that district, rather than county-wide. For example, in Calvert County, three members must be elected from their specific commissioner districts by those district voters, while two serve at-large. This directly affects how voters cast ballots and which candidates are elected to represent defined geographic areas on local school boards.

Maddy summaryHB 10 amends Maryland's scholarship program to streamline eligibility verification for veterans. It allows postsecondary institutions to contact the Department of Veterans and Military Families, upon a veteran applicant's request, to confirm disability status for the Edward T. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Program. This change directly affects veterans applying for the scholarship by simplifying proof of disability eligibility. The bill updates existing law to explicitly permit this verification process without requiring veterans to handle it themselves.

Maddy summaryHB 612 establishes Maryland's Lifesaver Schools Program, which recognizes public schools that provide specific health and safety training to students and staff. To qualify, schools must offer evidence-based first aid training, mental health support programs, schoolwide mental health assemblies, and professional development opportunities for staff during school hours. Schools must also maintain online resources for mental health support and host community outreach events, with recognition requiring reapplication every four years. The program, administered by the Maryland Department of Education, takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 483 removes the previous $300 annual cap on tax credits for hunters donating processed antlerless deer meat to qualified charities. It establishes a new credit limit of $75 per deer for expenses related to butchering and processing the meat, replacing the prior annual maximum. The bill affects individual hunters who donate to 501(c)(3) organizations, requiring donations to comply with state hunting laws. It also adds reporting requirements for donation programs to the Comptroller by January 31 each year.

Maddy summaryHB 98 requires the forfeiture of retirement benefits for public employees convicted of specific crimes committed while performing their duties. It directly affects members of Maryland’s state police, law enforcement, teachers, correctional officers, and judges’ retirement systems who are found guilty of qualifying crimes (like those under Maryland Criminal Law §§ 3-303, 3-304, 3-309, or 3-310). The bill establishes that benefits are forfeited upon final conviction, but allows a one-year window to request partial payment and reverses forfeitures if the Internal Revenue Service determines they would invalidate tax-qualified status. It does not apply to service earned before July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 29 requires payment processors and card issuers to exclude tax and gratuity amounts from electronic payment transaction fees. It mandates that credit/debit card issuers refund merchants for interchange fees incorrectly charged on tax and gratuity portions of transactions. The bill also prohibits certain entities from using electronic payment data for specific purposes and treats violations as unfair trade practices under Maryland's Consumer Protection Act. This directly affects merchants processing card payments, card issuers, and payment processors in Maryland.