Del. William Valentine

Maddy summaryHB 726 expands Maryland's homestead property tax credit to include more types of primary residences. It modifies the definition of "Additional Residence" to explicitly cover condominium units, cooperative apartment units, and non-traditional residential properties (such as parts of land used as a home) where the homeowner has a legal interest. This change directly affects homeowners living in these property types who previously might not have qualified for the tax credit. The bill alters the existing eligibility criteria in Maryland's tax code (Section 9-105) without creating new funding or programs. Homeowners in these qualifying properties would see reduced property tax burdens under the expanded credit.

Maddy summaryHB 695 repeals a requirement that Maryland's motor fuel tax rates automatically increase annually based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), changing how fuel tax revenue is calculated. The bill bans vehicle-miles-traveled (VMT) taxes and similar fees, including requiring devices to track mileage in private vehicles. It also sets specific farebox recovery targets for the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), limits when MTA can raise fares, and removes public hearing requirements for certain fare changes. This directly affects drivers (through fuel tax changes), MTA (via fare rules), and local governments (by prohibiting new transportation fees). The bill modifies existing tax and transportation laws without adding new funding mechanisms.

Maddy summaryHB 548 restricts Maryland's Governor from deploying the state militia (including the National Guard) into "active duty combat" without specific congressional action. It prohibits such deployments unless the U.S. Congress has passed an official declaration of war (per Article I, Section 8, Clause 11) or taken a specific action under Clause 15 to "call forth" the militia for federal purposes. The bill explicitly preserves the Governor's authority to deploy the militia under Title 32 of U.S. law for domestic support, such as disaster response within Maryland. This directly affects the Governor's power to commit state military forces to overseas combat roles without federal congressional authorization.

Maddy summaryHB 374 prohibits incarcerated individuals convicted of first-degree murder (under §2-201 of Maryland's Criminal Law Article) from earning diminution credits, which reduce prison sentences through good behavior or program participation. This applies to offenders whose crimes occurred on or after October 1, 2025, directly affecting those serving sentences for first-degree murder in state or local correctional facilities. The bill amends Maryland law by removing eligibility for these sentence reductions in Section 3-702 and Section 11-502, ensuring such individuals serve their full sentences without credit for time served. The change takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 171 modifies Maryland's handgun permit rules for retired law enforcement officers. It changes the expiration period from 2 years to 5 years after issuance and allows renewals for successive 5-year terms (instead of the standard 3 years), provided the applicant meets current permit qualifications. This applies specifically to officers who retired in good standing with state, county, or municipal law enforcement agencies. The bill does not alter fee requirements or fingerprinting rules for these permits.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Jaycee Webster Victims' Rights Act, requires Maryland commitment units to inform victims, their representatives, and witnesses when a defendant or child respondent is released from confinement. When sending these notifications, the facility must include the name and phone number of a specific victim services employee from the Maryland Crime Victims Resource Center to assist those affected. The law also mandates that commitment units notify these individuals about other significant events, such as escapes, transfers, or the death of the person in custody. Additionally, the legislation protects the privacy of witnesses and victims by prohibiting commitment units from sharing their contact information with the defendants.