Del. Brian Chisholm

Maddy summaryHB 893 changes Maryland's oyster fishing regulations by replacing license revocation with license suspension for certain violations. It requires the Department of Natural Resources to suspend (not revoke) oyster licenses for up to 2 years for first offenses or up to 10 years for repeat offenses involving violations like harvesting near closed areas, using prohibited gear, or harvesting outside time restrictions. The bill also creates a reinstatement process: individuals whose licenses were revoked before July 1, 2025, can regain their license after 2 years for a first violation or 10 years for a repeat violation. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, and applies directly to oyster harvesters in Maryland.

Maddy summaryHB 428 prohibits medical providers from placing liens on owner-occupied homes for unpaid medical debt. It requires courts to specify if a money judgment involves medical debt and mandates including the defendant’s primary residence address in such complaints. The bill adds a new provision (§ 14-203.1) stating that liens on homes where owners live cannot be created for medical debt, and courts must remove such illegal liens while potentially awarding damages. This applies prospectively from October 1, 2025, directly affecting Maryland homeowners and medical providers seeking debt collection.

Maddy summaryHB 809 creates a temporary exception to standard child placement limits for foster care providers when a child enrolled in college must leave campus due to academic breaks, temporary closures, or approved leave. The exemption applies only if the child, foster care provider, and agency agree to the living arrangement. This directly affects youth in foster care attending college and their foster care providers. The law requires the state to update placement regulations by July 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1191 updates Maryland's child custody laws by requiring courts to consider specific factors when determining legal and physical custody. It strengthens protections for children by mandating courts to deny custody or visitation to parents with a history of abuse or neglect, and to prioritize safety arrangements if abuse is suspected. The bill also explicitly bars custody awards to parents convicted of murder (including out-of-state convictions) unless supervised visitation ensures the child's safety. These changes directly affect family courts and parents involved in custody disputes across Maryland. The law focuses on child safety and well-being, adding clear guidelines for judicial decisions without altering existing penalties or funding.

Maddy summaryHB 857 allows licensed Maryland deer hunters who wound a deer during legal hunting hours to pursue and kill it after hours, provided they use only the same hunting method authorized for their season (e.g., archery or firearms). The bill amends Maryland’s natural resources law (Section 10-428 of the Annotated Code) to create this exception to standard hunting hour restrictions. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources must adopt regulations to implement the new rule, which takes effect July 1, 2025. This directly affects licensed deer hunters who wound deer during legal hours but cannot complete the harvest before closing.

Maddy summaryHB 466, the "Health Equality for Service Members Act," expands eligibility for Maryland's health, housing, and occupation programs to include members of the Public Health Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as "veterans" under state law. The bill revises definitions to clarify that "uniformed services" encompasses all such branches - not just the armed forces - and requires health, housing, and licensing laws to apply uniformly to all covered service members. This directly affects Public Health Service and NOAA personnel who previously lacked access to state programs designed for veterans. The law modifies specific sections of Maryland’s health, housing, and occupation codes to ensure consistent coverage across all uniformed services.

Maddy summaryHB 1007, the Genetic Testing Protection Act, prohibits life, disability, and long-term care insurance companies in Maryland from denying coverage, increasing premiums, or limiting benefits based on an applicant’s or policyholder’s genetic test results or requests for genetic testing. It directly affects individuals seeking or holding these insurance policies who undergo genetic testing. The bill blocks insurers from using genetic information (defined as test results not for diagnosis or therapy) to make coverage decisions, while allowing them to review standard medical records or diagnoses. It explicitly excludes routine blood tests, drug screenings, and family medical history (unless tied to genetic testing) from the prohibition. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 265 modifies eligibility for Maryland's Dent-Care Program, which provides loan assistance to dentists and dental hygienists. It requires applicants to work part-time or full-time (previously only full-time), treat at least 30% Maryland Medical Assistance Program patients annually, and establishes prorated grant amounts for part-time participants. The bill also directs the Maryland Insurance Administration to study dental insurance carriers' use of online credentialing systems and report findings by December 1, 2025. These changes directly affect dentists and dental hygienists seeking program participation.

Maddy summaryHB 1481 establishes Maryland's Adapted Vehicle Access Pilot Program to provide modified vehicles to eligible individuals who require a wheelchair for mobility, are licensed drivers, and qualify to operate adapted vehicles. The Department of Disabilities will administer the program, prioritizing participants in areas with limited public transportation access, and solicit donations of vehicles, modification services, and funds to support it. The bill requires the department to study the program's impacts on participants' independence, mobility, job opportunities, and reliance on public subsidies, with a final report due by December 1, 2028. The pilot program is set to run for five years, ending automatically on September 30, 2030.

Maddy summaryHB 699 defines "honorable discharge" for Maryland veterans' state benefits to include discharges that were less than honorable due to specific, protected factors. It directly affects veterans who received such discharges solely because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, or based on disclosures related to those factors (including statements/acts prohibited at the time), or because of PTSD/TBI diagnoses or sexual trauma disclosures made at VA facilities. The bill requires veterans to submit documentation supporting their discharge basis to access state benefits. It amends Maryland law to take effect October 1, 2025.