Rep. William Valentine

Maddy summaryHB 719 prohibits Maryland state and local government entities, including county sheriffs and agencies, from adopting "sanctuary policies" that restrict cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. It repeals existing laws that previously limited police from asking about immigration status during routine stops or detaining individuals solely for immigration violations. The bill requires local law enforcement to comply with federal immigration detainers when legally required and removes barriers to federal agents accessing sensitive locations (like schools) with valid warrants. This directly affects police departments, sheriffs' offices, and local government agencies in their daily interactions with federal immigration authorities.

Maddy summaryHB 673 prohibits local or state governments from restricting the sale, purchase, or use of consumer goods (such as vehicles, appliances, or other products) solely based on their energy source - like gasoline, electricity, natural gas, or propane. It repeals existing Maryland laws requiring low-emission vehicle programs and sales rules for zero-emission medium/heavy-duty trucks, ending those specific regulatory requirements. The law applies retroactively to all current restrictions and directly affects consumers, dealers, and manufacturers of energy-source-dependent goods. It does not alter federal emissions standards but removes state-level barriers to using diverse energy sources for everyday products.

Maddy summaryHB 726 requires the Maryland Transportation Authority to name a new bridge replacing the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge the "Francis Scott Key Memorial Bridge" upon its completion. This bill directly affects the Maryland Transportation Authority, which must implement the naming after the new bridge opens to traffic. The law amends state transportation codes to include the bridge's official name and sets a deadline: if the bridge opens by December 31, 2031, the naming takes effect immediately after notification to the legislature. The bill is procedural, focusing solely on the bridge's official designation with no additional policy changes.

Maddy summaryHB 690, the "Economic Competitiveness Act of 2026," lowers Maryland's corporate income tax rate gradually over several years. It directly affects corporations doing business in Maryland that pay state corporate income tax. The bill reduces the rate from 8.25% (for tax years 2026-2027) to 7.75% (2027-2028), then to 7.25% (2028-2029), 6.75% (2029-2030), and finally to 6.25% starting in 2030. The changes take effect July 1, 2026, as specified in the bill's provisions.

Maddy summaryHB 656 requires Maryland's Comptroller and tax agency to regularly verify if nonprofits in the state have been designated by federal authorities as supporting terrorist organizations under U.S. law (18 U.S.C. § 2339A). If confirmed, the bill mandates revoking the nonprofit's state tax exemptions for income, sales/use, and property taxes. Nonprofits receive 90 days to contest the revocation after written notice, with reinstatement possible if errors are found or if they prove they didn’t receive the notice. The bill applies only to nonprofits formally identified by federal agencies as violating anti-terrorism laws, not general criticism of terrorism.

Maddy summaryHB 508 requires Maryland police departments to remove certain investigation records from an officer’s personnel file 3 years after a determination that the officer was not administratively charged, the complaint was deemed unfounded, or the officer was exonerated. It directly affects police officers whose misconduct complaints were cleared through administrative or trial processes. The key provision mandates this removal for records related to internal affairs investigations, disciplinary decisions, or hearing records, excluding cases where formal charges were filed. This change aims to limit the long-term impact of unsubstantiated or cleared complaints on officers’ records. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 463 prohibits incarcerated individuals serving sentences for specific first-degree murder convictions from earning time-off credits (diminution credits) that reduce their prison terms. It directly affects people convicted of murder under Maryland law, including those convicted of murder involving a child under 16 (under older statutes), repeat child murder offenders, or any first-degree murder (§2-201 of the Criminal Law Article). The bill amends Maryland’s Correctional Services law to block these credits for the specified offenses, effective October 1, 2026. This change applies only to sentences for offenses committed on or after that date, not past cases.

Maddy summaryHB 475, the Juvenile Offender Protection Act, prohibits Maryland's Department of Juvenile Services from hiring or retaining employees convicted of specific serious crimes, including abduction, kidnapping, murder, rape, sexual offenses against minors, and certain assaults. It directly affects individuals seeking or holding jobs with the Department of Juvenile Services who have prior convictions for the listed offenses. The law adds these restrictions to Maryland's Code, with an exception allowing hiring if the conviction was reversed or vacated. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 460 limits solar energy generating station construction in Maryland's priority preservation areas (protected lands established before 2025) to 2% of the total acreage, down from a previous 5% cap. It requires counties to report when this 2% limit is reached and prohibits local zoning laws from blocking solar projects meeting specific criteria. The bill also mandates the Maryland Department of the Environment to study the environmental impact of disposing of solar panels at end-of-life and report findings by September 2027. This directly affects counties, developers, and landowners in priority preservation areas by restricting solar development space and creating new reporting requirements. The policy change aims to balance renewable energy growth with conservation of sensitive lands.

Maddy summaryHB 482, the "Fair Districts for Maryland Act," proposes constitutional changes to overhaul Maryland's redistricting process. It establishes an independent Legislative and Congressional Redistricting and Apportionment Commission to draw both state legislative and congressional districts, replacing the current Governor-led process. The bill mandates new boundary rules requiring districts to respect natural geography, community interests, and geographic compactness, while explicitly prohibiting consideration of voter registration, past voting patterns, or political party affiliation. If the General Assembly fails to adopt a redistricting plan within 45 days of the census, the Commission would submit a plan to the Supreme Court for approval. This directly affects all Maryland residents by changing how voting districts are drawn, aiming to reduce partisan influence in the redistricting process.