Rep. Kris Fair

Maddy summaryHB 1492 establishes the right to strike for specific public school and library employees in Maryland, including certificated and noncertificated staff like substitute teachers, nurses, and JROTC instructors in certain counties. The bill prohibits public school and library employers from taking disciplinary action against employees who participate in or support strikes. It repeals the Public Employee Relations Board’s authority to deny or revoke a union’s certification as an exclusive bargaining representative under certain circumstances. These changes apply to defined groups of employees under Maryland’s Education Article, ensuring their collective bargaining rights are protected from employer retaliation.

Maddy summaryThis House Joint Resolution (HJ 3) is a policy statement, not a binding law, acknowledging Maryland's commitment to inclusive education. It resolves that elementary and secondary school curricula should include the history of communities that have experienced discrimination (based on disability, ethnicity, gender, race, religion, indigenous affiliation, or sexual orientation) to ensure all students feel represented. The resolution directs education officials to adopt this inclusive approach but does not mandate specific curriculum changes or allocate funding. It primarily affects state education leaders, school boards, and curriculum developers by setting a policy direction for curriculum content.

Maddy summaryHB 630 prohibits private entities from operating immigration detention facilities in buildings not originally designed and constructed for housing or detaining people. It specifically bans converting existing structures (like warehouses or offices) into detention centers. The bill also prevents state/local governments from entering agreements, providing funding, or approving zoning for such facilities operated by private entities. This directly affects private operators seeking to establish immigration detention centers and local governments considering facility partnerships.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires school principals to investigate every student fight or physical struggle by gathering witness statements, video evidence (if available), and input from all students involved. It prohibits school staff from disciplining students who, after investigation, more likely than not used reasonable force necessary to protect themselves or escape an attack. If a student was disciplined but later found to have acted in self-defense, the school must remove all related discipline records from their file. The law directly affects students involved in fights, school administrators, and the handling of disciplinary records in Maryland public schools.

Maddy summaryThis is a symbolic resolution, not a bill with enforceable policy changes. Maryland's General Assembly formally joins other states (like California and Oregon) and local jurisdictions in endorsing the "Back from the Brink" initiative. It urges Maryland's congressional delegation to cosponsor a federal resolution supporting the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and asks the U.S. President and Senate to endorse that treaty. The resolution expresses concern about nuclear risks but does not create new laws or directly affect any individuals or entities.

Maddy summaryHB 1531 establishes the Maryland HEALTH Fund to help individuals cover costs for legally protected health care services under state law, especially where federal restrictions apply. The fund is financed by redirecting $20 million annually from abandoned property sales proceeds (starting fiscal year 2027), plus new premium taxes and portions of sales/use and property tax revenues. It directly assists Maryland residents needing life-saving treatments who face coverage gaps due to federal limitations. The bill creates a dedicated, nonlapsing fund to ensure consistent funding for these health care costs.

Maddy summaryHB 971 creates a workgroup to study whether Maryland should adopt a fee-for-service model for all Medicaid services, meaning providers would be paid directly per service (instead of through managed care organizations). The workgroup, composed of two legislators, a health care commission representative, and three Governor-appointed members (including a provider and an advocate), will assess the feasibility of this change. The study will examine how a fee-for-service model could work across the entire Medicaid program, including its impact on access and costs. The bill does not change current Medicaid policy but mandates this study to inform future decisions.

Maddy summaryHB 1356, the Maryland Employee Civic Activity and Lawful Expression Protection Act, prohibits employers from taking adverse actions against employees for engaging in off-duty civic activities, political expression, or lawful online speech. It protects all employees - including interns, part-timers, and temporary workers - from retaliation such as termination, demotion, or denial of promotion for activities like protesting, volunteering, or sharing opinions online outside work hours. The law bans employers from coercing political contributions, forcing attendance at political events, or maintaining policies that restrict protected activities, with exceptions only for conduct that disrupts job duties or reveals trade secrets. Employees can pursue civil lawsuits for violations without exhausting administrative remedies first.

Maddy summaryHB 1173 prohibits state contractors and vendors from using public funds to influence employees of their company (including subcontractors) regarding union membership or support for employee organizations. It specifically bans using state funds to fund anti-union campaigns, efforts to prevent collective bargaining rights, or activities opposing union certification. The law applies to all contractors and vendors working with state government units, covering both direct employee influence and third-party anti-union activities. Exceptions include standard collective bargaining processes, grievance resolution, and activities required by law. This bill directly affects state contractors, vendors, and their employees by restricting how public funds can be used in labor relations.

Maddy summaryHB 1488 proposes amending the Maryland Constitution to replace gendered terms like "man," "his," and "him" with gender-neutral language such as "person" and "their." It specifically targets multiple articles and sections across the Constitution (including the Declaration of Rights, Executive Department, and Judiciary Department) to update outdated terminology. The bill does not change substantive rights or policies but modernizes the language to be inclusive. This is a procedural constitutional amendment focused solely on terminology, not on altering legal obligations or government functions.