Del. Steve Johnson

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.

Maddy summaryHB 939 requires the Maryland Commission for Women to establish a collaborative group focused on improving access to over-the-counter birth control. The collaborative, including representatives from health departments, insurance, pharmacies, reproductive health organizations, and consumer groups, will study and recommend ways to implement existing coverage requirements. Specifically, it will examine pharmacy coverage, point-of-sale options, public health initiatives for underserved individuals, and consumer education to enhance access for Maryland residents who currently face barriers to obtaining over-the-counter birth control.

Maddy summaryHB 672 requires Maryland's State Department of Education and Department of Health to annually assess school health and wellness personnel (including counselors, nurses, psychologists, and therapists) across all public schools. The assessment tracks personnel-to-student ratios, vacancy rates by role, and collects feedback on recruitment and retention strategies from school systems and health departments. It also expands the Maryland Council on Advancement of School-Based Health Centers by adding a school nurse representative to its 16 voting members. Reports on these findings must be submitted to the General Assembly each December starting in 2027. The bill directly affects school districts, health centers, and the 10 designated health professional roles listed in the law.

Maddy summaryHB 541 establishes a Nonprofit Organizations Navigator within Maryland's Department of Commerce to directly assist nonprofits in accessing state grant programs. The navigator provides technical help with grant applications, resolves bureaucratic delays, shares federal/state grant opportunities, and represents nonprofits on the Maryland Efficient Grant Application Council. This bill amends the council's structure to include the navigator as a nonvoting member and updates membership rules for the council.

Maddy summaryHB 455 requires Maryland's Department of Veterans and Military Families to place American braille tactile flags in one or more state veterans' cemeteries. These flags, designed by the Kansas Braille Transcription Institute, allow blind and visually impaired visitors to experience the American flag through touch. The bill directly affects blind veterans and visually impaired individuals who visit Maryland's five state veterans' cemeteries. It amends state law to mandate the department designate specific locations for these tactile flags as a memorial feature.

Maddy summaryHB 509 establishes a Maryland Inventory of Cemeteries and Burial Sites Workgroup to study how to create a state-wide cemetery inventory system. The workgroup, composed of state officials, historical organizations, cemetery representatives, and local community members, will standardize definitions, review current county and nonprofit cemetery documentation practices, and study systems in other states. It will recommend a single data system design, identify the best managing entity, estimate costs, and propose funding sources for a state inventory system to begin in fiscal year 2027. The workgroup must report its findings to the Governor and General Assembly by December 1, 2025, and the bill expires June 30, 2026, without requiring immediate action. This bill directly affects county governments, historical preservation groups, and cemetery operators through its study of their existing practices.

Maddy summaryHB 1443 allows Maryland counties and municipalities to create local laws granting hiring and promotion preferences to eligible veterans and specific family members. It authorizes a 10-point credit on selection tests for veterans, spouses of veterans with service-connected disabilities, spouses of active service members, and surviving spouses of veterans. The bill specifies that current government employees and veterans convicted of crimes after military service are excluded from these preferences. Local governments must adopt a formal local law before implementing these hiring or promotion options.