Rep. Ken Kerr

Maddy summaryHB 425 prohibits Maryland's Motor Vehicle Administration from requiring drivers or license applicants to report a sleep apnea diagnosis. This bill amends Maryland's transportation code (Section 16-118) by adding a new subsection (C-1) that explicitly bans the Administration from mandating such notifications. The law directly affects individuals diagnosed with sleep apnea who hold or apply for driver's licenses. The key change removes an existing reporting obligation, making it unlawful for the DMV to ask about this medical condition. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 9 establishes a Maryland 3-1-1 Oversight Board to manage a statewide program expanding non-emergency service access through AI-powered tools. The bill requires all Maryland counties to implement AI chatbots (by June 2027) and voicebots (by December 2028) that provide multilingual support, route calls to appropriate services using geographic data, and escalate complex requests to live agents. These systems must align with accessibility and equity standards, with counties without existing 3-1-1 systems required to adopt the program by July 2028. The Oversight Board, composed of state officials and county representatives, will oversee vendor selection, performance monitoring, and statewide data standards.

Maddy summaryHB 738 requires Maryland's Department of Information Technology to establish an oversight process for major information technology development projects. It directly affects state agencies planning significant IT investments, mandating that they undergo formal review before proceeding with major spending decisions. The key provision creates a structured framework for evaluating project scope, budget, and risks prior to approval. This law, enacted on May 25, 2025, ensures greater accountability for large-scale state IT initiatives.

Maddy summaryHB 500, the Procurement Reform Act of 2025, streamlines Maryland state government purchasing by transferring key authority from the Secretary of General Services to the Chief Procurement Officer. It adjusts dollar thresholds requiring public notice or reporting for procurements, modifies small business preference programs (including expanding eligibility for small business reserves), and adds new requirements for contractors to submit workforce diversity plans for contracts over $500,000. The bill also creates a procurement preference for businesses certified for "good labor practices" and mandates that certain agencies establish working groups to address procurement issues. These changes directly affect state agencies, contractors (especially small businesses), and the Office of Small, Minority, and Women Business Affairs, which gains oversight of new workforce diversity rules.

Maddy summaryHB 424 creates a Prescription Drug Affordability Board with authority to set upper payment limits for prescription drugs causing affordability challenges in Maryland. The Board must consider costs like administration and delivery when setting limits, and it must reconsider limits if a drug becomes a "current shortage" (listed on the FDA shortage database or determined by the Board). This directly affects drug manufacturers (who set wholesale costs), pharmacies (receiving reimbursements), and healthcare providers, particularly those in the 340B program. The bill prohibits setting new limits for drugs in shortage and bans enforcement of limits against Medicare Part C/D plan reimbursements.

Maddy summaryHB 1292 requires health insurance carriers in Maryland to maintain an updated online "provider directory" (replacing the previous "network directory" term to align with federal law). The bill mandates that carriers make this directory available online with a clear search function and include specific details for each provider, such as specialty, office locations, contact information, and whether they accept new patients. Carriers must verify and update the directory regularly, ensuring it accurately reflects participating providers and facilities. This directly affects health insurance companies and their members (enrollees) by improving access to current provider information.

Maddy summaryHB 1474 allows out-of-state licensed professional counselors to provide temporary telehealth counseling services to specific students enrolled at Maryland colleges. It directly affects out-of-state counselors and students who are out-of-state residents living near a Maryland institution of higher education (not established Maryland residents). Key provisions require an existing therapeutic relationship between counselor and student, limit services to 5 days per month or 15 days annually, and exclude students with in-state health insurance plans restricting coverage to local providers. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025, and will be superseded if the Interstate Counseling Compact begins issuing cross-state licenses.

Maddy summaryHB 838 revises Maryland's regulations for licensed direct-entry midwives, making their practice independent without requiring oversight from other healthcare providers. The bill removes the requirement for midwives to report certain information to the Direct-Entry Midwifery Advisory Committee and updates disciplinary procedures for license holders. It also extends the validity of the Maryland Licensure of Direct-Entry Midwives Act through a sunset provision. These changes directly affect licensed midwives and the pregnant people and newborns they serve by increasing midwives' autonomy in providing low-risk maternity care.

Maddy summaryHB 859 requires the Maryland State Department of Education, working with the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, to promote health insurance access for child care professionals. It directs the department to partner with prekindergarten provider hubs, child care associations, and nonprofit organizations to help professionals enroll in health insurance through the Exchange or Medicaid, assist those losing Medicaid coverage, and match health plan options to their budgets. The bill also authorizes child care providers receiving more than two-thirds of their operating funds from government sources to join the State Employee and Retiree Health Program as "satellite organizations," allowing their employees to access state health benefits. This directly affects child care professionals seeking coverage and eligible child care providers seeking to offer group health benefits to staff.

Maddy summaryHB 819 creates a pilot program giving a price preference to bids from businesses using Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) for contracts with specific Maryland entities: the Maryland Stadium Authority, University System of Maryland, Morgan State University, St. Mary’s College, and Baltimore City Community College. It requires contractors to disclose if they use an ESOP in their bid and applies to procurements valued under $80 million. This means state entities must consider ESOP-based bids more favorably during contract awards, while still following standard procurement rules. The bill amends Maryland’s procurement code to establish this preference program as a new section (Subtitle 8) under state finance law.