Del. Ken Kerr

Maddy summaryHB 97, known as Rudy's Law, requires baby food manufacturers in Maryland to test their products for toxic heavy metals like arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury before packaging them for sale. Starting in January 2025, these manufacturers must have their food tested monthly by accredited laboratories and report the results to the Maryland Department of Health. Beginning in January 2026, companies must also publish these test results on their websites and include QR codes on product labels that allow consumers to access the data. The law also mandates that consumers report any baby food they believe contains excessive levels of these metals to state health officials.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires residential service agencies in Maryland to submit annual reports to the Department of Labor detailing the wage rates paid to personal care aides, including average, highest, and lowest figures. Additionally, it mandates that the Department of Health analyze reimbursement rates against actual service costs and develop a plan to adjust payments so that aide wages reach at least 150% of the state minimum wage. The Department must also consult with various service providers and report its findings and recommendations to the state legislature every two years starting in 2026. These measures aim to improve transparency and ensure fair compensation for workers within the Maryland Medical Assistance Program.

Maddy summaryHB 149 updates Maryland laws to extend the time health care providers must retain medical records, laboratory reports, and X-rays before they can be destroyed. The bill requires providers to send a notice via both first-class mail and email, informing patients or guardians of the proposed destruction date and offering a window to retrieve records. Under this legislation, a provider may only destroy records after receiving written authorization from the patient or their parent or guardian. Additionally, if a provider decides to destroy records, they must make those records available for retrieval within 60 days before the destruction date at a designated location. The law also outlines specific procedures for notifying patients when a provider closes their practice or retires, ensuring records can still be accessed.

Maddy summaryThis Maryland bill expands the legal definition of massage therapy to include specific instrument-assisted techniques like cupping and muscle scraping, provided practitioners complete additional training. It also streamlines the process for restoring licenses to massage therapists who have let their credentials lapse, as long as they apply within five years and meet standard renewal requirements. Furthermore, the legislation requires the State Board of Massage Therapy Examiners to mandate a physical examination by a designated healthcare provider if there is evidence that a therapist or applicant might harm clients. Finally, the bill establishes that refusing such an examination will be treated as proof of incompetence unless the refusal was beyond the individual's control.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Maryland's Opioid Restitution Fund by creating a formal process for how money from the fund is distributed to local communities. It requires the state health department to share its funding decisions with an advisory council and to publish those decisions online for public transparency. The legislation also mandates that at least 25% of the fund's money each year goes to community-based recovery organizations. Additionally, the bill clarifies which specific programs, such as overdose prevention and treatment services, are eligible for funding and establishes new reporting rules for local governments that receive these funds.

Maddy summaryThis Maryland bill creates a pathway for dentists trained outside the United States and Canada to obtain a limited license to practice, specifically to serve adults in public health clinics and federally qualified health centers. To qualify, applicants must hold a foreign dental degree, complete a two-year pediatric dentistry residency and fellowship, and commit to providing care for at least two years to Medicaid, uninsured, or indigent patients. The legislation requires approval from local health officials and the University of Maryland Dental School Dean, and it restricts these dentists to working only at the specific facility where they have a contractual obligation. Once the two-year service period is completed, eligible practitioners can apply for a full general dental license by passing additional state and national exams.

Maddy summaryHB 1092 requires the Maryland 9-1-1 Board to create training standards for public safety answering point personnel that include high-quality telecommunications cardiopulmonary resuscitation instruction. This training must follow current national emergency care guidelines, cover recognition protocols for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, and teach compression-only CPR techniques. The bill also updates the 9-1-1 Trust Fund to allow money from this source to pay for these specific CPR training costs. These changes aim to better equip 9-1-1 operators to provide life-saving guidance during cardiac emergencies.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Maryland Emergency Department Wait Time Reduction Commission within the state's Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems to address long wait times in hospital emergency rooms. The commission will be composed of representatives from health agencies, hospitals, patient advocates, and various medical professionals who will work together to assess current services and develop strategies for improvement. Key provisions include creating standardized operational protocols, implementing advanced technology solutions, and launching training programs to enhance efficiency and patient care. Additionally, the commission is authorized to request data from healthcare entities and requires these entities to sign agreements allowing the sharing of necessary information to monitor performance.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Maryland's Right to Try Act to include individualized investigational treatments, such as gene therapies and personalized vaccines, for patients with life-threatening or severely debilitating illnesses rather than only those with terminal conditions. It allows manufacturers to charge patients for these treatments and removes previous restrictions on profiting from them, while also permitting health insurance carriers and government agencies to cover the costs. The law requires a detailed informed consent process that outlines available alternatives, potential risks, and the possibility that the treatment could hasten death, and it clarifies that patients remain liable for expenses unless covered by law or contract.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Safe Sleep Act of 2024, requires hospitals in Maryland to provide specific safety instructions to parents before discharging newborns. The law mandates that hospitals offer both oral and written guidance on creating a safe sleep environment, avoiding shaken baby syndrome, and managing infant crying, which may include instructional videos. Additionally, hospitals must ask parents about their home sleep arrangements, inform them of the risks associated with unsafe sleeping, and have them sign a form confirming they received this information. If a parent cannot currently provide a safe sleep setup, the hospital must supply a list of local resources to help them obtain necessary items like a crib. The Maryland Department of Health is also tasked with creating and updating a statewide list of resources available to parents by January 1, 2025.