Del. Teresa Reilly

Maddy summaryHB 468 establishes a 5-day initial limit for emergency mental health evaluation petitions in Maryland, allowing courts to extend them in 5-day increments (up to a 30-day total) for "good cause." It requires courts to include expiration dates on petitions and clarifies when peace officers may use reasonable force to execute them. The bill directly affects individuals seeking emergency evaluations, courts issuing petitions, and law enforcement officers carrying out the process. Key changes standardize timeframes, mandate expiration dates, and specify extension procedures for mental health emergencies.

Maddy summaryHB 1268 requires Maryland health insurers, nonprofit health plans, and health maintenance organizations to cover the full duration of long-term antibiotic treatment (over 4 weeks) for Lyme disease and related tick-borne illnesses (like Babesiosis or Ehrlichiosis) when ordered by a licensed physician for therapeutic purposes. It prohibits these entities from imposing quantity limits on such coverage or denying it solely because the treatment is labeled "unproven," "experimental," or "investigational." The law applies to all health insurance policies issued, delivered, or renewed in Maryland on or after January 1, 2026. This directly affects patients diagnosed with Lyme disease or related illnesses who require extended antibiotic therapy, ensuring insurers must cover medically necessary treatment without arbitrary restrictions.

Maddy summaryHB 1399 prohibits licensed health care practitioners in Maryland from prescribing, dispensing, or administering cross-sex hormones (like estrogen or testosterone) or providing cross-sex hormone therapy to minors for the treatment of gender dysphoria. It defines "cross-sex hormone therapy" as treatment developing secondary sex characteristics for gender transition and explicitly targets therapy for gender-related mental health conditions in minors under 18. Violations are classified as a felony punishable by up to life imprisonment. The law, titled the "Protect the Kids Act," takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1374 expands eligibility for publicly funded prekindergarten to include 3-year-olds in certain private providers. It modifies the definition of "Tier I child" to include 3-year-olds whose families meet income requirements (≤300% federal poverty level) or are homeless, live in counties where private providers have opted to enroll them, and choose full-day programs. Eligible private providers (licensed, charging tuition ≤ "cost of quality," meeting quality standards) must sign a memorandum of understanding with the State Department of Education and county boards to enroll these children. The bill directly affects qualifying 3-year-olds, eligible private prekindergarten providers, and local departments responsible for notifying families about enrollment options.

Maddy summaryHB 1185 allows Maryland public high schools to permit homeschool students enrolled in state-approved home instruction programs to join school sports teams under the same conditions as enrolled students. It specifically requires schools to follow COMAR guidelines for home instruction programs and gives priority to enrolled students if team spots are limited. The bill amends Maryland’s education code to clarify that homeschoolers in compliant programs may participate in athletic activities outside regular school hours without earning academic credit. It takes effect on July 1, 2025, directly affecting homeschool families and public high school athletic departments.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Maryland public high school students to earn one math credit toward graduation by completing a college-prep computer science or programming course instead of a traditional math class. Students must take the course after completing Algebra II, and county school boards must certify eligible courses to the state Department of Education. It modifies existing graduation requirements to expand math credit options for students pursuing computer science pathways. The policy takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1211 requires law enforcement agencies to report student arrests for specific serious offenses (like violent crimes or gang-related violations occurring off school grounds) to the Maryland Center for School Safety, Juvenile Services Education Program, State Board of Education, and the State’s Attorney within 24 hours. The State’s Attorney must then notify these same agencies of court outcomes. This applies to students aged 5-22 in public or nonpublic schools across Maryland. The bill creates a formal reporting chain to ensure schools and safety programs receive timely information about student arrests and legal dispositions.

Maddy summaryHB 403 requires Maryland correctional facilities to transfer undocumented immigrants serving sentences for certain crimes to U.S. Homeland Security (DHS) under specific circumstances. It directly affects undocumented immigrants incarcerated in Maryland facilities who have been convicted of or suspected of: terrorism/espionage, gang-related offenses under federal law, gang participation as a minor, or aggravated felonies. The bill mandates transfer if the individual meets any of these four criteria, creating a legal mechanism for state-federal coordination. It takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 982, the "Gun Theft Felony Act of 2025," reclassifies the theft of any firearm as a felony regardless of the firearm's value. Currently, firearm theft could be charged as a misdemeanor if the value was below $1,500, but this bill makes all firearm thefts automatically felonies. The bill amends Maryland’s Criminal Law to require that anyone convicted of stealing a firearm must restore the firearm to the owner or pay its value, with penalties including up to 20 years in prison or fines up to $25,000 based on the firearm’s value. This change directly affects individuals who steal firearms, increasing penalties for this specific offense.

Maddy summaryHB 653 mandates that Maryland correctional facilities must transfer undocumented immigrants serving sentences for specific offenses to U.S. Homeland Security. It directly affects undocumented immigrants incarcerated in Maryland who are convicted of terrorism/espionage threats, gang-related crimes (under federal definitions), aggravated felonies, or certain sexual offenses requiring registration. The bill requires transfer if an individual meets any of five specified conditions, including active gang participation or conviction for an aggravated felony. The law takes effect October 1, 2025, and adds these requirements to Maryland's Correctional Services code.