Del. Kevin Hornberger

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 1186 prohibits knowingly causing another person to ingest an abortion-inducing drug when the perpetrator knows or believes the person is pregnant and does so without consent, through fraud/coercion, or by force/threat of force. It directly affects individuals who commit such acts, criminalizing them as a felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison. The law defines "abortion-inducing drug" as any substance designed to induce an abortion and creates new criminal penalties under Maryland's Criminal Law. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025, and focuses solely on preventing coercive acts related to abortion drugs.

Maddy summaryHB 1187 requires health insurers, nonprofit health plans, HMOs, and managed care organizations that cover chemotherapy for cancer treatment to also cover scalp cooling systems. These systems help preserve hair during chemotherapy, directly benefiting cancer patients receiving chemo who face hair loss as a side effect. The bill mandates this coverage for all policies issued, delivered, or renewed in Maryland on or after January 1, 2026. It applies specifically to insurers providing hospital, medical, or surgical benefits related to cancer treatment.

Maddy summaryHB 1319 makes it a felony to knowingly steal redeemable digital reward points, such as credit card points, frequent flyer miles, or retail rewards. It specifically prohibits obtaining unauthorized control over these points with the intent to deprive the owner, directly affecting individuals who steal such points and the businesses or consumers who own them. The law imposes penalties of up to 5 years in prison, a $10,000 fine, or both, plus requiring the thief to pay the owner the points' value. This amendment to Maryland’s Criminal Law (Article 7, Section 7-111) clarifies that digital reward systems are protected under theft statutes. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1192 requires Maryland's Comptroller and State Tax Department to regularly check if nonprofits with state tax exemptions have been federally designated as supporting terrorist organizations under U.S. law. If confirmed, it mandates rescinding their income, sales, use, and property tax exemptions. Nonprofits must be notified in writing with 90 days to provide evidence to prevent rescission, and can appeal to the Maryland Tax Court. Reinstatement is possible only if the rescission was erroneous or based on new evidence. This directly affects Maryland nonprofits currently holding tax-exempt status who have been found by federal authorities to provide material support to designated terrorist groups.

Maddy summaryHB 854 requires Maryland's Department of Natural Resources to issue a permanent identification number on every hunter safety certificate. This affects all new hunters under 18 and all new hunters of any age who must complete a safety course to obtain a hunting license. The bill amends existing law to mandate that the ID number appears on the certificate or a separate form provided with it. The change takes effect October 1, 2025, and does not alter the requirement to complete the safety course.

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 1297 requires counties, municipalities, and school boards to adopt ethics rules that meet or exceed Maryland’s state-level conflict of interest standards. Specifically, local rules must include provisions allowing governing bodies to remove officials for ethics violations and mandate that ethics commissions publicly share recommendations about such removals. The bill also sets minimum requirements for financial disclosure and lobbying regulations at the local level. These changes apply directly to local government officials and school board members across Maryland. The law aims to standardize ethics enforcement without altering existing state ethics frameworks.

Maddy summaryHB 732 increases the required classroom teaching time for Maryland public school teachers on career ladder levels one, two, or three from 60% to 80% of their working time. This change directly affects teachers who are certified but not yet at the highest career levels (such as those pursuing a master’s degree or National Board Certification). The bill specifies that the remaining 20% of their time must be spent on activities like improving instruction, tutoring students, or participating in professional development. The policy takes effect July 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.