Del. Kevin Hornberger

Maddy summaryHB 1401 requires healthcare providers performing abortions to inform patients about specific risks - including depression, infection, hemorrhage, breast cancer, future pregnancy dangers, infertility, and regret - and obtain their signed, written consent before the procedure. This applies directly to qualified providers (like doctors or clinics) offering abortion services and affects patients seeking those services in Maryland. The bill mandates providers to document the signed consent in the patient’s medical record. It takes effect October 1, 2026, and updates Maryland’s health code to require this informed consent process for abortion procedures.

Maddy summaryHB 1108 grants collective bargaining rights to workers in Maryland greenhouses (controlled-environment agricultural operations), allowing them to form unions and negotiate wages, hours, and working conditions with employers. The bill requires the state Labor Secretary to establish regulations for union elections, certification, and resolving bargaining disputes, while mandating greenhouse employers to provide rest breaks during extreme heat to prevent heat-related illness. This law directly affects greenhouse workers and their employers, creating a formal process for union representation and heat protection. It amends Maryland's labor code to include these specific protections for greenhouse workers, who previously lacked these rights under state law.

Maddy summaryHB 1435 requires Maryland health insurance companies, nonprofit health plans, and health maintenance organizations to cover hormone-related care for perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms. This includes hormone therapy, hormone-modulating medications, related lab testing, and clinical visits, with coverage not denied based on diagnosis (like menopause symptoms), age, or prior treatment history. The bill prohibits extra approval steps, stricter limitations, or higher costs for this care compared to similar treatments. It also mandates that coverage decisions follow evidence-based guidelines and the treating provider’s clinical judgment, ensuring timely access to care.

Maddy summaryHB 1375 requires Maryland health insurers, nonprofit health plans, and health maintenance organizations to cover the full duration of long-term antibiotic treatment 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 caps or time limits on such treatment or denying coverage solely because the treatment is labeled "unproven," "experimental," or "investigational." The law applies to all health insurance policies issued, delivered, or renewed in Maryland after January 1, 2027. This directly affects patients with chronic Lyme disease or related conditions who rely on extended antibiotic therapy and their insurers.

Maddy summaryHB 1565 requires Maryland’s State Employee and Retiree Health and Welfare Benefits Program to include an obesity treatment and management program for state employees. It also mandates that private health insurers, nonprofit health plans, and health maintenance organizations cover evidence-based obesity treatment - including FDA-approved medications, metabolic/bariatric surgery, and CDC-approved behavioral programs - for individuals diagnosed with obesity, diabetes, or related conditions. The program must be developed with the Secretary of Health and follow the same coverage rules applied to other chronic diseases, avoiding stricter requirements. This bill directly affects state employees and covered individuals with qualifying health conditions by expanding access to medically necessary obesity care.

Maddy summaryHB 1293 requires behavioral health programs (like mental health or substance abuse treatment facilities) operating inpatient facilities to verify if residents are required to register under Maryland’s sex offender registry. Specifically, facilities must ask residents directly about registration status and confirm if they are listed on the registry. If a resident is required to register, facilities must help them comply by informing them of legal obligations, coordinating with authorities, and documenting these efforts. Non-compliance can result in fines up to $10,000 per violation or licensing penalties for repeated failures.

Maddy summaryHB 1413 requires Maryland's Department of Planning to study the feasibility of returning the District of Columbia to Maryland (excluding federal buildings like the Capitol and White House), focusing on economic and fiscal impacts. The study must analyze how retrocession would affect state tax revenues, infrastructure costs (including transit and schools), debt obligations, and integration challenges with Maryland laws. It mandates consultation with Maryland agencies, DC government, and local counties, with a report due by December 1, 2026. This bill does not change laws or implement retrocession - it only directs a study to assess potential outcomes. The study would directly inform Maryland policymakers but would not affect DC residents or businesses until a future legislative action.

Maddy summaryHB 1481 prevents hospitals and tissue banks from denying physician-ordered autologous (patient's own blood) or directed (designated donor) blood donations solely due to internal policies, provided all safety and regulatory requirements are met. It requires healthcare facilities to allow these donations for planned medical procedures if the treating physician deems them medically appropriate. Facilities may only refuse such requests when medical, logistical, or regulatory constraints make compliance impossible. The bill also mandates that hospitals provide clear information about blood donation options to patients, consistent with informed consent standards.

Maddy summaryHB 1394, or "Bentley’s Law," requires courts to order convicted drivers who cause a parent’s or guardian’s death through impaired driving (alcohol, drugs, or controlled substances) to pay financial restitution directly to the child victim. The law mandates courts consider the child’s financial needs, living standard, health, and custody situation when setting restitution amounts. Payments must continue until the child turns 18 or graduates high school, with special provisions for incarcerated offenders. This law directly affects children who lost a parent/guardian to impaired driving fatalities and the drivers convicted of those offenses.

Maddy summaryHB 1334, the Maryland Public Education Parental Partnership Act, requires each county board of education to create a written parent and family engagement policy by the start of the 2027-2028 school year. This policy must include parental input, provide translation services, and outline how schools will collaborate with families. Additionally, starting in the 2028-2029 school year, every public school must develop a Parent-School Compact detailing shared responsibilities - such as school curriculum quality, parental support for learning, teacher qualifications, and regular communication between parents and staff. The bill directly affects all Maryland public school systems and their families by mandating structured, written frameworks for parental involvement.