Rep. Stuart Schmidt

Maddy summaryHB 1215 extends the deadline for homeowners associations, condominiums, and cooperative housing corporations to reach recommended reserve funding levels after an initial reserve study. Currently, these groups must meet the funding target within 3 fiscal years of completing the study, but the bill would extend this period to 5 fiscal years. The change applies only to the initial reserve study requirement, not to ongoing annual reviews or funding levels. This affects all Maryland community associations that have completed an initial reserve study and must adjust their funding plans accordingly.

Maddy summaryHB 1031 requires health insurers, nonprofit health plans, and health maintenance organizations in Maryland to cover prescription weight loss drugs for people diagnosed with obesity and at least one related health condition (like diabetes or high blood pressure) that can be treated with these medications. It applies to all individual, group, and blanket health insurance policies issued or renewed in Maryland on or after January 1, 2026. The law directly affects covered individuals with obesity and specific comorbidities, as well as the insurers obligated to provide this coverage. It does not change existing coverage for weight loss drugs unrelated to obesity or other qualifying conditions.

Maddy summaryHB 733 allows candidates running for county school boards in Maryland to voluntarily include their party affiliation on their candidacy forms and ballots. Local election offices must display this information if provided by the candidate and cannot disqualify a candidate for including it. The bill maintains that school board elections remain nonpartisan, meaning party labels appear only for voter information without changing the election's nonpartisan status. This directly affects candidates seeking school board seats and local election offices preparing ballots.

Maddy summaryHB 989 removes a $40,000 annual sales limit on food processed under on-farm home processing licenses. The bill prohibits the Maryland Department of Health from restricting revenue from food sold by farm owners using home kitchens on their property. It requires the Department to update regulations (COMAR 10.15.04.15) by October 1, 2025, to eliminate the revenue cap. This directly affects Maryland farm owners who process and sell food from their homes.

Maddy summaryHB 81 requires that when the government takes farm or agricultural land for public projects (like infrastructure), the property owner receives compensation based on 350% of the highest appraisal value of the land, rather than standard fair market value. This directly affects Maryland farmers and landowners whose property is condemned for public use, including cases involving transmission lines. The bill changes how "fair market value" is calculated in condemnation proceedings for qualifying agricultural property, as defined by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation. The law applies retroactively to all condemnation cases involving farm land since its effective date.

Maddy summaryHB 1000 updates Maryland's criminal law to strengthen protections for human and pet remains in cemeteries. It expands the definition of "permanent cemetery" to include family- and religious organization-owned sites (previously limited to corporations, nonprofits, or state-owned cemeteries) and prohibits tampering with human remains in cemeteries, as well as damaging, trafficking, or transporting human or pet remains without authorization. Violations carry felony penalties: up to 15 years in prison and $30,000 fines for repeat offenses, with civil lawsuits allowed for family members to seek damages. The bill specifically prohibits handling pet remains in cemeteries, except under a defined exception, and increases penalties for offenses against cemetery structures or funerary objects.

Maddy summaryHB 734, the Real Time for Violent Crime Act, prohibits incarcerated individuals convicted of first- or second-degree murder from earning sentence reduction credits (diminution credits) that shorten their prison time. It also limits sentence reductions for violent crimes to no more than 10% of the total sentence for those convicted of crimes of violence (as defined in Maryland law), and restricts judges from granting pretrial release to defendants charged with violent crimes if they have pending charges or recent convictions for specific violent offenses. The bill directly affects people serving sentences for murder or violent crimes in Maryland correctional facilities and changes how courts handle sentence reductions and pretrial releases for these cases.

Maddy summaryHB 727 allows drivers or applicants to voluntarily share with Maryland's Motor Vehicle Administration that they or a minor under their care have been diagnosed with certain conditions like autism, ADHD, diabetes, or vision impairments. The Administration must add a brief, non-identifying description of this disclosure to the driver's record, without including the specific diagnosis or personal details. Drivers can later request to have this description removed from their record. The bill aims to help law enforcement better understand and assist individuals with disabilities during emergencies, effective October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 885 requires that investigation records related to police misconduct complaints found "unfounded" (allegations not factually supported) or "exonerated" (officer followed law/policy) be removed from an officer’s personnel record three years after the finding by an administrative committee or trial board. This directly affects police officers whose complaints are dismissed, as it limits the duration those records remain in their official files. The bill amends Maryland law to mandate this removal, ensuring such records do not permanently impact an officer’s personnel history. It does not change how complaints are investigated or processed, only the retention period for dismissed cases. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 537 allows police officers in Maryland who are denied a right under disciplinary procedures to apply to a circuit court before their hearing. Specifically, officers employed by countywide or local agencies can file in their county's circuit court, while those with statewide or bicounty agencies must file in Anne Arundel County circuit court. The bill creates a process for officers to seek a court order requiring their law enforcement agency to explain why the denied right (such as a specific procedural safeguard) should not be granted. This amendment adds a new step to police disciplinary proceedings under Maryland law, directly affecting officers facing potential discipline.