Del. Dana Jones

Maddy summaryHB 1357 requires manufacturers of menstrual hygiene products (such as pads, tampons, and menstrual cups) sold in Maryland to list all ingredients on product packaging. The ingredient list must be displayed prominently in clear, easy-to-read text and in the order of the amount present (from most to least). Violations would be treated as unfair or deceptive trade practices under Maryland law, subject to enforcement and penalties. The requirement takes effect on October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 621 changes the qualifications for legal counsel appointed by Maryland county election boards. It requires that board counsel must be a registered voter in their specific county (previously required to be a registered voter in the entire state). This bill directly affects all 24 Maryland county election boards when hiring their legal counsel. The key change eliminates the statewide voter registration requirement, making it a local county residency requirement instead. The bill amends Sections 2-201(a)(1) and 2-205(a) of Maryland's Election Law.

Maddy summaryHB 1389 updates Maryland law to explicitly include female genital mutilation (FGM) under the legal definition of "abuse" for child protection purposes. This requires healthcare workers, educators, and others to report suspected FGM cases - just like other forms of child abuse - and increases penalties for violations. The bill also allows victims to file civil lawsuits and mandates the Maryland Department of Health to create educational materials about FGM. These changes directly affect mandated reporters, medical professionals, and individuals at risk of FGM.

Maddy summaryHB 413 modifies Maryland's Maryland-Ireland Trade Commission by reducing its legislative membership from two to one member each from the Senate and House of Delegates, while extending the commission's operational lifespan from 2026 to 2028. The bill alters the commission's structure to require one Senate appointee (with Irish affairs expertise) and one House appointee (with similar expertise), alongside existing members including the Secretary of State, higher education representatives, business leaders, and Irish-American community members. The commission must continue studying Maryland-Ireland trade promotion, report findings annually to the Governor and General Assembly by December 1, and remain active until September 30, 2028. This change directly affects the commission's composition and duration without altering its core purpose of advancing bilateral trade and investment.

Maddy summaryHB 637 ("The Vax Act") requires Maryland's Secretary of Health to issue science-based recommendations for immunizations, screenings, and preventive services using guidance from major medical organizations like the CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics. It expands pharmacists' authority to administer flu, COVID-19, and emergency vaccines to patients aged 3 and older (previously limited to 18+ for some vaccines) after completing specific training. The bill also mandates that health insurance plans cover these recommended services without cost-sharing for patients. This directly affects pharmacists, health insurers, and Maryland residents seeking preventive care, particularly children and adults needing routine vaccinations.

Maddy summaryHB 1574 modifies Maryland's child care licensing rules to require the State Department of Education to issue warnings for first-time violations of new regulations instead of immediate penalties, with potential fines for repeat offenses. It creates a dedicated unit to process and manage criminal background checks for child care staff, ensuring applicants receive timely updates on their check status. The bill also mandates that the State Superintendent list individuals prohibited from child care employment due to supervision failures and establishes a workgroup to study illegal child care operations. These changes directly affect licensed child care centers, registered family child care homes, and all applicants seeking positions involving direct child contact.

Maddy summaryHB 915 establishes a workgroup focused on youth transitioning out of foster care in Maryland. The workgroup includes state agency representatives and 15 youth aged 18-25 who have aged out of foster care, along with advocates from relevant organizations. It must identify current resources for housing, education, health, and other needs; assess service effectiveness; and find successful programs by June 1, 2027. The workgroup's report will inform future policy, but the bill itself creates no new laws or funding.

Maddy summaryHB 1341 prohibits public school security personnel - including school resource officers, security employees, and certain law enforcement officers - from engaging in federal immigration enforcement or sharing student/employee records for immigration purposes. The bill requires security staff to immediately contact school officials if presented with a valid judicial warrant, subpoena, or legal order for immigration-related information. It amends Maryland's Education Code to clarify that school security cannot be used for immigration investigations under federal §287(G) and must comply with state privacy laws. This directly affects school security staff and protects students, employees, and their families from immigration enforcement activities within public schools.

Maddy summaryHB 523 (Real Property - Residential Foreclosures - Commencement Restrictions) delays foreclosure actions on residential properties by requiring a 90-day waiting period after a default or notice of intent to foreclose, whichever is later. It directly affects homeowners facing foreclosure and mortgage lenders by adding this waiting period, with limited exceptions for fraud, no payments, property destruction, bankruptcy, or vacant properties. Key provisions include mandatory affidavits verifying default details and notice accuracy, a $450 filing fee, and requirements for loss mitigation documentation. The bill modifies Maryland's foreclosure law to provide additional time for homeowners to seek alternatives before a foreclosure case can proceed.

Maddy summaryHB 450 protects victims of sexual assault or stalking by requiring courts and parties in criminal or juvenile cases to redact identifying information (like names or addresses) from public court records and filings. It directly affects victims, courts, and legal parties by prohibiting disclosure of such information to nonparties unless the court finds "clear and convincing evidence" of good cause to allow it. The bill mandates redaction of victim identifiers in all filings - including charging documents - and requires courts to redact existing records upon written request from the victim. Exceptions only apply when a court specifically authorizes disclosure after reviewing evidence of necessity. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.