Rep. Jay Jacobs

Maddy summaryHB 889 requires Maryland's Department of Natural Resources to expand its annual juvenile striped bass and rockfish survey by adding sampling sites in the central Chesapeake Bay region. Specifically, the bill mandates 12-20 new survey locations in seven designated waterways: Maggoty River, Severn River, Chester River, South River, West River, Eastern Bay, and Miles River. This change supplements existing surveys in northern and southern Bay regions to improve data on young fish populations. The bill directly affects the Department of Natural Resources, which must implement these new survey requirements starting June 1, 2025. The goal is to enhance scientific understanding of striped bass and rockfish stock health in Maryland waters.

Maddy summaryHB 649 requires Maryland child placement agencies to provide foster parents with a detailed background report before a foster parent can consent to placing a child with them. The report must disclose if the child has had law enforcement interactions (including arrests), been charged with or convicted of a crime, associated with a criminal gang, or faced school suspension/expulsion. This law directly affects foster parents making placement decisions and child placement agencies responsible for providing the information. The policy change takes effect on October 1, 2025, aiming to ensure foster parents have key information about a child's history prior to consent.

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 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 975 increases the number of resident judges for Queen Anne's County's Circuit Court from one to two. It amends Maryland's judicial code (Section 1-503) to reflect this change, specifically updating the county's listed judgeship count. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, directly affecting the staffing and capacity of Queen Anne's County's circuit court. This is a procedural adjustment to judicial staffing levels with no new substantive legal provisions.

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.

Maddy summaryHB 760 allows counties and municipalities to approve certain projects previously denied by the Maryland Historical Trust, directly affecting local governments and project applicants (e.g., developers). It applies specifically when projects were denied due to cemetery protections under §14-121.1 of the Real Property Article or for historic preservation/underwater archaeological permits under State Finance law. The bill requires local planning commissions to hold a public hearing within 60 days of an applicant’s request, publish notice in a local newspaper and online, and recommend approval or denial to the governing body. This creates a new pathway for projects blocked by the Historical Trust, streamlining local decision-making.

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 1263 establishes a designated public clam fishery area in the Chesapeake Bay by requiring Maryland's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to define it through regulation. The DNR must base this area on three years of commercial harvest data (pre-June 1, 2025), department surveys, and other quantitative data, in consultation with the Tidal Fisheries Advisory Commission. The bill prohibits leasing this designated area for commercial shellfish aquaculture (farming), while allowing clam harvesting outside the area by licensed operators unless otherwise restricted. This directly affects DNR (which must implement the area) and commercial shellfish aquaculture operators (who cannot lease the defined zone).