Del. Steve Arentz

Maddy summaryHB 1024 authorizes Maryland's Department of Agriculture to take extraordinary measures to control local deer populations after deer cause catastrophic crop damage, defined as the loss of 50% or more of crops in a single field. The bill directly affects farmers who suffer such severe damage and the Department of Agriculture, which must create regulations to implement the program. Key provisions include the department’s authority to act following a verified 50% crop loss threshold and the requirement for the department to adopt implementing regulations. The law aims to prevent recurring crop losses from deer without specifying particular control methods or funding mechanisms.

Maddy summaryHB 735 removes psychiatry and all subcategories of psychiatric services from Maryland's Certificate of Need (CON) requirements. This means psychiatric health care facilities and providers offering mental health services no longer need state approval to establish, operate, or expand these services. The bill amends Maryland law by deleting "psychiatry" from the definition of "medical service" in Section 19-120(a)(6)(i) and removing it from the list of services requiring a CON under Section 19-120(j)(iii)(5). This directly affects psychiatric hospitals, clinics, and mental health providers by eliminating a regulatory hurdle for their operations.

Maddy summaryHB 1008 prohibits Maryland state and local governments from imposing a vehicle-miles-traveled (VMT) tax, mileage-based user fees, or tolls based on GPS tracking. It also bans requiring private vehicle owners to install devices that track mileage for tax reporting. The bill specifically repeals provisions allowing VMT taxes and adds new restrictions in tax and transportation laws, effective October 2025. It does not affect existing reciprocal fuel tax agreements under current law. This directly impacts state/local authorities and private vehicle owners by preventing new mileage-based fees or tracking requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 67 requires Maryland local election boards to verify both the voter's signature and a witness's signature on absentee ballot return envelopes before counting the ballot, with exceptions for active-duty military members overseas and their spouses/depedents living overseas. The bill mandates that boards compare the voter's signature against their registration record to confirm authenticity, replacing current processes for signature verification. This directly affects all absentee voters who mail in ballots, except those covered by the military exceptions. The law aims to strengthen ballot security by adding a witness signature requirement and standardized verification steps for all absentee ballots. It takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Maryland's election laws to require voters to show specific proof of identity, such as a government-issued photo ID or a combination of non-government ID and a document like a utility bill, in order to cast a regular ballot. If a voter cannot provide the required identification, the election judge must refer them to vote using a provisional ballot instead. The legislation also strengthens penalties for knowingly voting under a false name and clarifies rules regarding who can assist voters with disabilities or language barriers in the voting booth.

Maddy summaryHB 976 amends Maryland law to clarify that registered vessels (under Title 8, Subtitle 7 of the Natural Resources Article) are explicitly excluded from the definition of a "nonwater-dependent project" for wetlands construction purposes. This change directly affects vessel owners and permit applicants, as it removes vessels from a category that previously allowed certain pier-based structures without full wetlands permitting. The bill modifies Section 16-101(i) of the Environment Article to specify that vessels "regardless of use" cannot be classified as nonwater-dependent projects. This ensures vessels follow standard wetlands permitting requirements rather than the streamlined process applicable to other structures like piers or renewable energy systems. The policy change streamlines regulatory clarity for state wetlands management.

Maddy summaryHB 736 adjusts Maryland's school construction funding by reducing the local cost-share (the portion a county pays) for certain school projects under specific conditions. It directly affects school districts in counties meeting one of three criteria: (1) having the state's lowest median household income (bottom quartile) with a current 50/50 state-local split, (2) having over the statewide average of students eligible for free/reduced meals with all schools in community eligibility, or (3) having projects at schools with high poverty concentration (80%+ or 55-80%) or meeting specific facility standards. The bill reduces the local share to match adjacent counties or a county average, while increasing the state's share by the same percentage. For example, a school in a county with 80%+ poverty concentration would get a 10-point increase in state funding, and net-zero school projects would get a 5-point increase.

Maddy summaryHB 1005 modifies Maryland's income tax code to exclude tips or gratuities from taxable income for workers in specific service industries. It directly affects employees in food service facilities (like restaurants), businesses serving alcohol, hotels, and providers of passenger-for-hire or taxicab services. The bill adds a new provision (Section 10-207(qq)) defining these industries and specifying that tips received in these roles are subtracted from federal adjusted gross income for Maryland tax purposes. This change takes effect July 1, 2025, applying to tax years beginning after December 31, 2024. The policy removes tips from taxable income for these workers, reducing their Maryland income tax liability.

Maddy summaryHB 792 increases the Maryland income tax subtraction for retirement income from public safety careers. It raises the deductible amount from $15,000 to $20,000 annually for retired correctional officers, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel aged 55 or older. This change applies to retirement income attributable to their public safety service, reducing taxable income for qualifying retirees. The bill amends Maryland’s tax code (Section 10-207(mm)) and takes effect July 1, 2025, for tax years beginning after December 31, 2024.

Maddy summaryHB 800 modifies Maryland's income tax code to provide a tax deduction for military retirement income. It sets a $12,500 annual deduction for military retirees under age 55, while those aged 55 or older receive a $20,000 deduction. This change directly affects Maryland residents who receive military retirement income and are under 55. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, for tax years beginning after December 31, 2024.