Del. Kris Fair

Maddy summaryHB 853 (Maryland Second Look Act) allows individuals serving prison sentences of 20+ years to petition courts for sentence reduction under specific conditions. To qualify, petitioners must have served at least 20 years and wait 5 years after any prior petition, with a maximum of three petitions total. Courts must hold hearings considering factors like rehabilitation, victim input, the individual’s age at the offense, and safety risks, and must publicly state their reasons for granting or denying relief. The law applies retroactively to eligible individuals already serving long sentences.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Maryland's tax code to exempt properties owned by public housing authorities (including Baltimore Housing Authority, Howard County Housing Commission, and Montgomery County Housing Authority) and certain nonprofit housing corporations from state and local taxes when used for housing eligible low-income residents. It requires these entities to make "payments in lieu of taxes" to local governments through negotiated agreements. The exemption applies to properties directly owned or held through subsidiary entities of these housing authorities. The changes update existing tax law under Maryland's Housing and Community Development code (Section 12-104).

Maddy summaryHB 799 establishes the Maryland Innovation Initiative University Partnership Extension Program, which directly affects Bowie State University and Frostburg State University. The program requires these two universities to pay a $50,000 annual contribution to participate, while the state will appropriate $500,000 for fiscal years 2027 and 2028 to fund projects supporting new technology-based businesses, advancing technology toward market readiness, and fostering industry partnerships in Maryland. Projects must focus on entrepreneurship, regional economic impact, or collaboration with industry partners providing matching funds. The program expires automatically on June 30, 2028.

Maddy summaryHB 513 limits rooster ownership in Maryland to no more than 5 roosters per acre or 25 total on a single property, starting January 1, 2027, unless authorized by the Department of Agriculture. It directly affects property owners keeping roosters, excluding commercial poultry farms, schools, animal shelters, and 4-H members who provide written authorization with specific details (like breed and location). Violations may result in misdemeanor fines up to $1,000, with enforcement handled by the Department of Agriculture in cooperation with local animal control. The bill aims to address concerns linked to cockfighting and Avian Flu spread, as noted in its preamble.

Maddy summaryHB 390 expands tax exemptions for rental housing properties that maintain affordable units. It requires property owners to agree with counties to keep at least 50% of rental units affordable - defined as costing no more than 30% of a household’s income or 60% of the local median income - for a minimum of 15 years. In exchange, these properties qualify for reduced or eliminated county property taxes. The bill directly affects rental property owners seeking tax relief and county governments negotiating these agreements.

Maddy summaryHB 442 allows statements made by children under 13 to qualified forensic interviewers to be used as evidence in court for specific cases involving child abuse, sexual offenses, or neglect. It applies when the child is a victim or witness in cases under Maryland law (e.g., abuse under §3-601, sexual offenses under §3-303, or neglect under §3-602.1). For admissibility, the statement must be made to a trained forensic interviewer (not law enforcement, working at a child advocacy center), and the court must provide notice to the defendant and follow specific procedures, including requiring corroborating evidence if the child does not testify. This bill directly affects child victims/witnesses in criminal or juvenile court cases and changes how their out-of-court statements can be presented in court.

Maddy summaryHB 492 authorizes Frederick County's Human Resources Director to request state and national criminal history checks for both current and prospective county employees and volunteers. The bill requires submitting two sets of approved fingerprints, paying Maryland and FBI fees, and mandates that the Central Repository forwards results only to the applicant and HR. It strictly prohibits redisseminating the confidential results and limits their use solely to personnel decisions for county employment. This bill directly affects all Frederick County employees and volunteers who undergo background checks under this new procedure.

Maddy summaryHB 1424, the "Protect Our Federal Workers Act," expands state financial assistance to Maryland residents affected by federal government disruptions beyond just shutdowns. It renames the "Federal Government Shutdown Employee Assistance Loan Fund" to the "Federal Government Employee Assistance Loan Fund" and broadens eligibility to include current federal employees not paid during shutdowns *and* Maryland residents recently terminated due to federal office closures, relocations, or mass layoffs. The bill allows funds from the state’s Catastrophic Event Account to cover costs for these individuals, administered by the Maryland Department of Labor. This changes existing law to provide loans for both ongoing shutdowns and post-layoff financial hardship from federal facility changes.

Maddy summaryHB 525 prohibits using AI-generated deepfakes (synthetic media) to influence voters in Maryland elections. The bill defines "fraud" to include deepfakes - AI-created videos, audio, or images that falsely depict candidates or alter their appearance/speech - to prevent deceptive influence. It bans anyone from intentionally using such deepfakes to sway voting decisions, whether through force, threats, or other means. Violations are misdemeanor offenses punishable by fines up to $5,000 or up to 5 years in prison. This directly affects individuals or groups distributing deepfakes during elections in Maryland.

Maddy summaryHB 153 lowers the minimum age for voter registration in Maryland from 16 to 15 years and 9 months. It requires election officials to send registered minors (ages 15-17) a notification card containing information about when they will become eligible to vote (at age 18). Additionally, it mandates that election directors send eligible minors who become 18 a notice about upcoming primary elections, available voting methods, and early voting locations. The bill directly affects minors registering to vote and election officials responsible for voter communications. It amends Maryland’s Election Law sections 3-102 and 3-301, effective October 1, 2025.