Rep. Dylan Behler

Maddy summaryHB 501 amends Maryland law to prohibit individuals in positions of authority (such as teachers, coaches, or school staff working with minors) from engaging in sexual contact with minors who are at least six years younger. It increases penalties for violations: first offenses carry up to one year in jail or a $1,000 fine, while repeat offenders face up to three years in jail or a $1,000 fine. The bill also adds this offense as a predicate crime for sexual solicitation of minors and updates definitions related to sex offender registry tiers. It directly affects educators, program leaders, and others in supervisory roles working with minors under age 18.

Maddy summaryHB 135 allows local governments in Maryland to designate *noncontiguous* areas as development districts for tax increment financing (TIF). This means political subdivisions (like counties or cities) can now create TIF zones that include separate, disconnected parcels of land - not just connected areas - under new provisions in Section 12-201(i)(1). The bill modifies existing law to explicitly permit this by redefining "development district" to include noncontiguous areas and updating related sections (e.g., 12-203). It directly affects local governments seeking to use TIF for economic development projects across multiple, non-adjacent sites. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 721, the Uniformed Services Spouses Act, extends existing Maryland benefits for military service members and veterans to include their spouses. It adds "eligible spouse" as a defined term to priority registration at public colleges (within 15 years of service member’s last active duty, max four academic years), community college resource centers with tailored support, and senatorial/Delegate scholarships for spouses of active service members. The bill also modifies hiring preferences for state public service roles to include spouses of veterans. These changes directly affect spouses of active-duty service members and veterans living in Maryland who seek education, career support, or scholarships. The law updates multiple sections of Maryland’s education and employment codes to include spouses in eligibility criteria previously limited to service members themselves.

Maddy summaryHB 1196 requires Maryland's Department of the Environment to establish a mobile home park water quality testing program by January 1, 2027. The program mandates testing 25% of parks by 2028, 50% by 2029, 75% by 2030, and 100% by 2031, prioritizing parks with ≥40% minority residents, known contamination areas, or resident complaints. Park owners must take corrective actions if water quality issues are found, and the Department must notify residents and develop a statewide action plan. This directly affects mobile home park owners, residents, and the Department of the Environment through mandated testing, reporting, and remediation requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 895 prohibits large food retailers (defined as those with at least 15,000 square feet selling tax-exempt food) from using dynamic pricing (real-time price changes based on demand or AI) or consumer surveillance data to set prices for individual shoppers. It also bans retailers from using data about protected characteristics (like race or gender) to deny discounts or services to specific customers. The bill further protects union rights by preventing retailers from weakening employee benefits under existing collective bargaining agreements without negotiation. Violations would be treated as unfair trade practices under Maryland’s Consumer Protection Act, subject to enforcement and penalties.

Maddy summaryHB 925 establishes limits on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in sewage sludge applied to land, prohibiting use if PFAS levels exceed specific thresholds after a set date. It directly affects sewage sludge generators (like wastewater treatment facilities), industrial users discharging PFAS, and local jurisdictions managing sludge. Key provisions include mandatory PFAS monitoring in sludge, requirements for industrial pretreatment standards when PFAS levels exceed action levels, and rules allowing limited blending of sludge from multiple sources. The bill also authorizes local fees for industrial dischargers and updates regulations for safe land application practices.

Maddy summaryHB 972 establishes the Maryland Fair and Agricultural Education Promise Fund, a permanent fund to provide annual grants supporting agricultural fairs and education. The fund will receive lottery proceeds (before allocation to the general fund) and replace previous requirements for horse racing fund allocations. It directs specific annual grants: $825,000 to the Maryland Agricultural Fair Board, $75,000 to the Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation, $550,000 to the Maryland State Fair Society (for youth programs like 4-H and FFA), and $50,000 to the Maryland FFA Association. These grants aim to advance agricultural fairs, education, and youth programs across Maryland.

Maddy summaryHB 35 authorizes Maryland counties and municipalities to create local rules regulating Tree of Heaven (an invasive species), directly affecting property owners and local governments. The bill allows communities to ban the sale, planting, or growth of Tree of Heaven on private property, and requires property owners to remove it. Local governments may also establish cash reward programs to incentivize removal, and enforce rules through civil fines or requiring damage mitigation. This bill provides concrete tools for local management of the invasive tree without mandating statewide action.

Maddy summaryHB 342 modifies Maryland's forestry licensing requirements by adding new educational accreditation standards. It requires applicants to graduate from a forestry program approved by the Board *and* accredited by the Society of American Foresters (SAF) or an equivalent accrediting body. This directly affects individuals seeking forestry licenses in Maryland, as it replaces previous curriculum approval requirements. The bill maintains the existing 2-year forestry experience requirement but adds this dual accreditation condition for educational institutions. The changes take effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 480 requires transportation network companies (like Uber or Lyft) operating in Maryland to create and follow a clear written policy for deactivating drivers. The bill mandates companies must notify drivers of deactivation reasons and provide specific information, and prohibits deactivation unless it follows the published policy. It defines "egregious misconduct" (such as repeated traffic violations or safety threats) as the only valid reason for deactivation, excluding minor violations. This directly affects drivers who could be deactivated and companies required to maintain transparent, consistent procedures.