Del. Steve Arentz

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.

Maddy summaryHB 156, the "Fairness in Girls’ Sports Act," requires Maryland public and nonpublic high schools competing against public schools to designate interscholastic and intramural junior varsity and varsity sports teams based solely on biological sex. It prohibits schools from allowing students assigned male at birth to participate on teams designated for students assigned female at birth. The bill also prevents government agencies or athletic organizations from penalizing schools for maintaining separate teams for females, and allows students or schools harmed by violations to file civil lawsuits seeking damages, attorney fees, or injunctions. This law directly affects high school athletic programs and takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 622 (Juvenile Justice Restoration Act of 2025) requires law enforcement officers to consult with an attorney before questioning a child in custody. Specifically, officers must ensure the child has spoken with an attorney (either retained by parents or provided by the Public Defender) and make reasonable efforts to notify the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian before interrogation. Exceptions exist only for immediate public safety threats (with limited questions) or if the parent/guardian consents to skip the attorney consultation. Violating these rules creates a rebuttable presumption that any statement made by the child is inadmissible in court, though the state can overcome this with clear evidence the statement was voluntary. The bill directly affects children under 18 during police questioning and all Maryland law enforcement agencies.

Maddy summaryHB 652 prohibits Maryland's Department of Juvenile Services from hiring or retaining employees convicted of specific serious crimes, directly affecting individuals seeking or holding jobs in juvenile services. The bill bans hiring for 14 offenses including abduction, kidnapping, murder, rape, child abuse, sexual offenses against minors, and certain violent assaults. An exception allows hiring if the conviction was reversed or vacated. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1356 prohibits District Court commissioners from releasing defendants on personal recognizance or unsecured bail if the defendant was previously charged with a crime after being released on unsecured bail within the past 5 years, or failed to appear in court while on unsecured bail. The bill requires judges to authorize pretrial release for such defendants only on secured bail with conditions designed to prevent flight or community danger. It directly affects individuals with specific prior court-related violations involving unsecured bail. The law takes effect October 1, 2025, and amends Maryland's Criminal Procedure code (Section 5-202(h)).

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Ratepayer Protection Act of 2025, prevents Maryland state and local governments from suing businesses for financial or economic damages caused by global warming or climate change. It achieves this by adding a new legal provision that explicitly bars government agencies from filing such lawsuits, while clarifying that the law does not stop governments from enforcing existing environmental, health, or zoning regulations. The legislation defines "business" broadly to include various entities and financial institutions, and it takes effect on October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1184 adjusts the size and scope of Port of Deposit State Historical Park in Cecil County, Maryland. It reduces the park's required size from 120-150 acres to 12-19 acres and removes the Tome School from the included property, keeping only the Snow Hill archaeological site and adjacent wooded conservation area. The bill extends the deadline for the Bainbridge Development Corporation to transfer qualifying property to the Department of Natural Resources from June 2025 to June 2026. It also creates a stakeholder advisory committee with specific local representatives and requires the Department to submit a report by September 2024 detailing suitable property, funding needs, and preservation plans for non-included land. Additionally, it allocates $400,000 for a Phase 1 archaeological survey of the Snow Hill site.

Maddy summaryHB 1329 allows natural gas energy systems to be constructed, permitted, and operated in Maryland with standard permitting requirements. It removes the Public Service Commission's authority to require investor-owned electric companies to build their own generating or transmission facilities under certain circumstances. The bill also states legislative support for developing additional nuclear energy (including small modular reactors) and encourages PJM Interconnection to expedite grid connections for new thermal generation projects. These changes take effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1132 requires Maryland public school principals to investigate every student fight or physical struggle. It prohibits school staff from disciplining students who, after an investigation, more likely than not used reasonable force to protect themselves or escape an attack. If a student was wrongly disciplined for such an incident, the school must remove all related records from their disciplinary file. This bill directly affects students involved in school fights, school administrators, and the accuracy of student disciplinary records.

Maddy summaryHB 1015 requires all Maryland public middle schools to begin instruction no earlier than 8:00 a.m. and public high schools no earlier than 8:30 a.m. starting in the 2027-2028 school year. It directly affects every public middle, high, and charter school in Maryland, mandating later start times unless a waiver is granted. County boards and charter schools must also implement public awareness campaigns about sleep deprivation and the benefits of later start times. Waivers for earlier start times are permitted only for compelling reasons, such as natural disasters or severe weather, as determined by the State Board of Education.