Rep. Sandy Bartlett

Maddy summaryHB 704 establishes Maryland's Community Eligibility Provision Expansion Program within the State Department of Education. It provides state funding to cover the difference between federal reimbursement rates for free and paid school meals, directly supporting Maryland schools with high poverty rates (25%+ students qualifying for free meals) that participate in the federal child nutrition program. The state will appropriate $10 million annually starting in fiscal year 2028 to complement federal funds, with funds distributed based on school poverty concentration and geographic diversity. Schools must report on program outcomes, meal debt resolution, and reasons for opting out of federal eligibility, with annual reports published online.

Maddy summaryHB 802 modifies Maryland law to allow certain intercepted communications and evidence derived from them to be used in court under specific conditions. It creates two main exceptions: (1) evidence may be admitted if the communication occurred outside Maryland with no local law enforcement involvement, or (2) if a court determines the evidence is highly relevant, not obtainable otherwise, and serves justice. The bill also requires the party offering the evidence to provide advance notice to the opposing side, including the name and address of the intercepted party. This directly affects criminal and civil trials in Maryland courts where wiretapping evidence was previously inadmissible. The changes aim to balance evidentiary needs with privacy protections under existing law.

Maddy summaryHB 935 requires Maryland to establish a dedicated prerelease facility for female incarcerated individuals, directly affecting women eligible for prerelease programs at the Maryland Correctional Institution for Women. The bill mandates a separate facility meeting specific criteria: at least 3 acres, not within 1 mile of other prisons, and designed to house 1.25 times the 2024 prerelease-eligible population. It requires the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to provide comprehensive rehabilitative services (including gender-responsive programming) and report progress to legislative committees by a specified deadline. The facility must operate by June 1, 2023, with the Department of General Services directing procurement for its construction.

Maddy summaryHB 488 establishes the geographic boundaries for Maryland's eight congressional districts for the 2026 elections. It specifies exact county and election district portions, using census tract data to define district lines where precincts are split, based on boundaries as they existed on January 13, 2026. This bill directly affects voters in Maryland's congressional districts by determining which communities are grouped together for electing U.S. Representatives. It replaces previous election law sections (8-702 through 8-709) and clarifies that certain districting rules apply only to state legislative districts, not congressional ones.

Maddy summaryHB 409, the Youth Charging Reform Act, expands juvenile court jurisdiction by removing automatic transfers to adult court for certain serious offenses committed by youth aged 16 and older. It directly affects Maryland youth aged 16+ accused of specific crimes like robbery, murder, carjacking, or firearm-related offenses - previously excluded from juvenile court. The bill repeals sections that barred juvenile court from handling these cases, meaning such offenses will now typically be processed in juvenile court unless a judge orders transfer. This change modifies jurisdiction rules in Maryland’s Courts, Criminal Procedure, and Education codes, shifting how these cases are handled without altering sentencing outcomes.

Maddy summaryHB 213 allows fair housing testers working for qualified programs (federal, state, local governments, or nonprofit civil rights organizations with specific experience) to legally record oral conversations when testing for housing discrimination. It permits this only if the tester is a party to the conversation and the recording is solely to gather evidence of a fair housing violation under federal, state, or local law. The bill strictly limits the use of such recordings - they cannot be admitted as evidence in court but may only be used to enforce fair housing laws. This directly affects fair housing organizations and their testers by creating a legal pathway to collect evidence of discrimination in housing. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes Maryland's rules for using wiretapped or electronically intercepted communications as evidence in criminal trials. It allows such evidence in court if the crime involved a victim, the evidence is material to the case, the interception wasn't conducted by Maryland law enforcement, it's more probative than other available evidence, and admitting it serves justice. Prosecutors must also provide the defense with at least 14 days' notice before using this evidence. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 389 prohibits holding juveniles (under 18) who are arrested, convicted, or awaiting trial for criminal charges in any facility where they might have contact with, see, or hear adults in jail or prison. It bans holding juveniles in adult correctional facilities except for up to six hours during processing if they are kept separated by sight and sound from adults and then transferred to a juvenile facility. The bill requires courts to place juveniles in secure juvenile facilities unless no space is available, the juvenile is released pretrial, or the court determines juvenile facility detention would pose a risk of harm. This law directly affects young people in Maryland's justice system who face criminal charges.

Maddy summaryHB 138 clarifies that committing sexual contact without consent during a burglary (first, second, or third degree) constitutes a third-degree sexual offense. It updates sex offender registration definitions to include this specific offense under "Tier I" and "Tier II" categories, affecting individuals convicted of such acts. The bill modifies Maryland’s criminal code to explicitly link burglary with non-consensual sexual contact, raising the offense to a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. These changes directly impact offenders convicted of sexual contact during burglaries and alter how their registration levels are determined under state law.

Maddy summaryHB 738 requires Maryland's Department of Information Technology to establish an oversight process for major information technology development projects. It directly affects state agencies planning significant IT investments, mandating that they undergo formal review before proceeding with major spending decisions. The key provision creates a structured framework for evaluating project scope, budget, and risks prior to approval. This law, enacted on May 25, 2025, ensures greater accountability for large-scale state IT initiatives.