Rep. Brian Chisholm

Maddy summaryHB 508 requires Maryland police departments to remove certain investigation records from an officer’s personnel file 3 years after a determination that the officer was not administratively charged, the complaint was deemed unfounded, or the officer was exonerated. It directly affects police officers whose misconduct complaints were cleared through administrative or trial processes. The key provision mandates this removal for records related to internal affairs investigations, disciplinary decisions, or hearing records, excluding cases where formal charges were filed. This change aims to limit the long-term impact of unsubstantiated or cleared complaints on officers’ records. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 463 prohibits incarcerated individuals serving sentences for specific first-degree murder convictions from earning time-off credits (diminution credits) that reduce their prison terms. It directly affects people convicted of murder under Maryland law, including those convicted of murder involving a child under 16 (under older statutes), repeat child murder offenders, or any first-degree murder (§2-201 of the Criminal Law Article). The bill amends Maryland’s Correctional Services law to block these credits for the specified offenses, effective October 1, 2026. This change applies only to sentences for offenses committed on or after that date, not past cases.

Maddy summaryHB 15 amends Maryland's Public Information Act to require certain nonprofit organizations to treat specific documents as "public records." It directly affects nonprofits receiving $50,000 or more annually from state grants, state bond proceeds, or local impact grants. The bill expands the definition of "public record" to include documents created by these nonprofits, such as employee salary lists, and mandates they follow the same disclosure rules as government entities. Nonprofits must now proactively disclose available records and limit data collection to what's necessary for governmental purposes, with policies tailored to their resources. The changes take effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 521 repeals a surcharge on electric and gas utility bills that previously funded energy efficiency programs supporting Maryland's greenhouse gas reduction goals. The bill removes the requirement for utilities to recover costs related to these programs through customer bills, eliminating a mandatory surcharge that had been in place since at least 2008. This directly affects residential and commercial utility customers who previously paid this fee, as it no longer requires utilities to include these costs in billing. The repeal also removes disclosure requirements about the surcharge's purpose and duration.

Maddy summaryHB 482, the "Fair Districts for Maryland Act," proposes constitutional changes to overhaul Maryland's redistricting process. It establishes an independent Legislative and Congressional Redistricting and Apportionment Commission to draw both state legislative and congressional districts, replacing the current Governor-led process. The bill mandates new boundary rules requiring districts to respect natural geography, community interests, and geographic compactness, while explicitly prohibiting consideration of voter registration, past voting patterns, or political party affiliation. If the General Assembly fails to adopt a redistricting plan within 45 days of the census, the Commission would submit a plan to the Supreme Court for approval. This directly affects all Maryland residents by changing how voting districts are drawn, aiming to reduce partisan influence in the redistricting process.

Maddy summaryHB 63, the "Fairness in Girls’ Sports Act," requires Maryland public and certain nonpublic high schools to designate interscholastic and intramural junior varsity and varsity athletic teams, and associated locker rooms, strictly based on biological sex. It mandates that teams and locker rooms designated for "students of the female sex" (biological female) cannot include students of the male sex, while allowing coeducational options. The bill prohibits governmental entities, accrediting bodies, or athletic associations from penalizing schools for maintaining these sex-based designations and permits students or schools to sue if harmed by violations. It explicitly defines key terms like "biological sex" and establishes a two-year window for filing civil actions to recover damages or legal fees.

Maddy summaryHB 122 requires Maryland state agencies providing grants or subsidies to nonprofits to verify that recipients meet four specific criteria: maintaining good standing with the IRS, being current on all federal/state/local taxes, having a valid state charter on file, and submitting required annual tax forms (Form 990 or personal property tax return). This bill directly affects nonprofits seeking state aid, including community organizations, social services groups, and cultural institutions that rely on state funding. The law, effective July 1, 2026, aims to ensure nonprofits are financially compliant before receiving state funds. It does not change the amount of aid provided but establishes standardized verification steps for all state aid recipients.

Maddy summaryHB 79, the Climate Solutions Affordability Act of 2026, modifies Maryland’s Climate Solutions Now Act to require certain climate measures "to the extent economically practicable." It mandates building owners to annually measure and report emissions data starting in 2025, with goals of a 20% emissions reduction by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2040 for covered buildings. The bill also requires school districts to transition to zero-emission school buses for new contracts starting in 2025, with limited exceptions, and includes prevailing wage requirements for contractors on utility projects. These provisions directly affect building owners, school districts, and utility contractors, focusing on measurable emissions reductions without mandating unaffordable actions.

Maddy summaryHB 120 imposes a statewide ban on constructing new data centers and prohibits local governments from approving such projects. It directly affects developers seeking to build new facilities and local planning authorities. The ban automatically ends if the legislature passes new laws requiring all new data centers to be co-located with power generation facilities (like natural gas, nuclear, or small modular reactors) that provide sufficient energy. Existing projects with all required permits before the law takes effect are exempt. The bill is designed as a temporary measure until more comprehensive energy co-location rules are enacted.

Maddy summaryHB 66 requires the Governor to withdraw Maryland from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a multi-state program targeting carbon emissions from power plants. The bill amends Maryland law to remove the requirement for state participation in RGGI and redirects funds previously allocated to RGGI programs, such as the Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Fund. It specifically repeals provisions that mandated joining RGGI, required emissions reporting under the initiative, and linked urban forestry programs to RGGI offset opportunities. The bill directly affects state agencies managing energy policy and environmental programs by eliminating RGGI obligations and redirecting related financial resources.