Rep. Dylan Behler

Maddy summaryHB 769 delays residential foreclosure filings by requiring a 90-day waiting period after a payment default and mandating a 45-day notice of intent to foreclose before filing. It requires lenders to provide written loan details (including payment history and current balance) in foreclosure filings and allows homeowners to raise a defense if lenders delay filing excessively. The bill specifically affects Maryland homeowners with owner-occupied residential properties (up to four units) and lenders seeking to foreclose on mortgages that are significantly overdue. These changes amend Maryland's foreclosure law to add procedural safeguards before foreclosure actions can proceed.

Maddy summaryHB 1434 establishes a 13-member Food Deserts Workgroup to study areas in Maryland with limited access to affordable, nutritious food (known as "food deserts"). The Workgroup, including state agency secretaries, county representatives, and community stakeholders, must analyze health and economic impacts of food deserts and assess strategies to attract grocery stores by November 1, 2025. It will produce a report with recommendations for eliminating food deserts, to be submitted to the Governor and relevant legislative committees. The bill expires automatically on June 30, 2026, and does not create new funding or regulations - only a study process.

Maddy summaryHB 1453 (Child Influencers Protection Act) requires vloggers who feature minors in their social media content to compensate those minors under specific conditions. It applies to vloggers (individuals or businesses) who earn compensation based on views (at least $0.10 per view or qualified for platform payments) and feature a minor in at least 30% of their content over any 30-day period. The bill mandates that vloggers pay a percentage of relevant earnings into a separate trust fund for each minor, to be accessed when the child turns 18. Additionally, it grants minors (or their guardians) the right to request permanent deletion of their content from social media platforms, requiring platforms to take "reasonable steps" to comply.

Maddy summaryHB 1413 requires Maryland employers to create written policies allowing employees to ignore work communications during nonworking hours (defined as time outside their scheduled shifts). It prohibits employers from demanding employee contact during these hours, except for last-minute schedule changes (within 24 hours) or urgent situations threatening health/safety, operations, or the environment. Employees can file complaints with the Maryland Department of Labor for violations, which may result in fines up to $600 per affected employee. The law applies to most private employers and state/local government units but excludes employees covered by collective bargaining agreements, taking effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1458 proposes a constitutional amendment to guarantee that tipped workers in Maryland earn at least the state minimum wage regardless of tips received. It directly affects service industry workers (like servers and bartenders) currently paid below minimum wage under "tip credit" systems. The amendment would bar the state from denying this right unless justified by a compelling interest using the least restrictive means. If approved by voters in the 2026 election, it would require employers to pay the full minimum wage without counting tips toward that amount. This changes current practice where employers can pay a lower base wage if tips make up the difference.

Maddy summaryHB 1438 updates Maryland's overtime pay exemption rules for employees in administrative, executive, or professional roles. It sets a minimum weekly salary threshold of $1,128 starting July 1, 2025, increasing annually based on Consumer Price Index (CPI) growth. The Commissioner of Labor and Industry must announce each year's new threshold, which will apply to all subsequent 12-month periods. This directly affects salaried workers in management or specialized professional positions who previously qualified for overtime exemptions under the current salary standard. The bill modifies existing law to ensure the exemption threshold adjusts with inflation, rather than remaining fixed.

Maddy summaryHB 1406 requires utility companies applying for state approval certificates (like for power lines or water systems) to submit an environmental impact analysis and, if applicable, an existing burden report detailing impacts on vulnerable communities. This affects any entity seeking permission to build or operate utility infrastructure, particularly projects in areas with high environmental justice scores as defined by Maryland's EJ Tool. The Public Service Commission cannot approve applications without these documents and must assess whether the reports indicate significant environmental or community impacts. If approved conditionally, applicants must also enter into a mitigation fund agreement to address cumulative impacts.

Maddy summaryHB 1400, the "No Tax on Tips Act," requires restaurants and food service businesses to clearly disclose service fees (including their amount and whether they go to employees) on menus or visibly before ordering. It prohibits employers from counting tips toward meeting minimum wage requirements for tipped workers, ensuring they receive the full minimum wage without tip credits. Additionally, the bill allows tipped employees to subtract qualified tips from their state income tax bill (effectively making tips tax-free) and provides businesses a tax credit for wages and tips paid to employees. This directly affects tipped workers in restaurants and similar establishments, as well as the businesses that employ them.