Del. Gabriel Acevero

Maddy summaryHB 678 establishes the Maryland Deaf Culture Digital Library as the state's primary resource center for deaf-related library services. It requires the Governor to include $450,000 annually in the budget for the library and mandates that the library submit its operating budget to the State Library Agency by June 1 each year. The bill directs the library to conduct needs assessments, develop staff training on deaf services, create a shared website, and form partnerships with deaf organizations and county libraries. These provisions directly affect deaf and hard of hearing Marylanders, state and county libraries, and the State Library Agency.

Maddy summaryHB 939 requires the Maryland Commission for Women to establish a collaborative group focused on improving access to over-the-counter birth control. The collaborative, including representatives from health departments, insurance, pharmacies, reproductive health organizations, and consumer groups, will study and recommend ways to implement existing coverage requirements. Specifically, it will examine pharmacy coverage, point-of-sale options, public health initiatives for underserved individuals, and consumer education to enhance access for Maryland residents who currently face barriers to obtaining over-the-counter birth control.

Maddy summaryHB 600, the "Educational Equality for Service Members Act," updates Maryland's education laws to ensure eligibility for educator certification applies equally to all uniformed services (including National Guard, reserves, and other service branches), not just the traditional armed forces. It revises definitions throughout education statutes to replace "military" with "uniformed services" and clarifies that "veteran" includes those discharged within one year for certification purposes. The bill maintains the existing requirement for active service members, eligible veterans, and their spouses to hold a valid out-of-state license and meet basic qualifications to qualify for expedited certification. This change directly affects service members and veterans seeking teaching careers in Maryland by aligning certification pathways with current service definitions.

Maddy summaryHB 691, the Tax Relief and State Personnel Equality for Service Members Act, redefines "uniformed services" to include the Public Health Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), extending veteran benefits to their members who meet federal veteran criteria. The bill amends Maryland's tax, pension, and personnel laws to apply the same rules to all uniformed services - not just the armed forces - ensuring equal access to state benefits like tax relief and retirement programs. It specifically updates definitions in the Maryland Code to include these service members in state programs previously limited to military veterans. This directly affects service members in non-military uniformed services and state agencies administering veteran benefits.

Maddy summaryHB 1121 establishes a temporary pilot program to help foster youth aged 16-22 access childcare subsidies. It directly affects youth who were in state foster care at age 18 or older, removing specific barriers like proof of employment, parental information, or parental authorization from the application process. The program, running from 2026-2028, requires the Department to track subsidy usage monthly and report annually to the legislature on progress. It aims to simplify access to childcare support during critical transitions to adulthood. The bill does not change subsidy amounts but streamlines eligibility for this specific group.

Maddy summaryHB 853 (Maryland Second Look Act) allows individuals serving prison sentences of 20+ years to petition courts for sentence reduction under specific conditions. To qualify, petitioners must have served at least 20 years and wait 5 years after any prior petition, with a maximum of three petitions total. Courts must hold hearings considering factors like rehabilitation, victim input, the individual’s age at the offense, and safety risks, and must publicly state their reasons for granting or denying relief. The law applies retroactively to eligible individuals already serving long sentences.

Maddy summaryHB 442 allows statements made by children under 13 to qualified forensic interviewers to be used as evidence in court for specific cases involving child abuse, sexual offenses, or neglect. It applies when the child is a victim or witness in cases under Maryland law (e.g., abuse under §3-601, sexual offenses under §3-303, or neglect under §3-602.1). For admissibility, the statement must be made to a trained forensic interviewer (not law enforcement, working at a child advocacy center), and the court must provide notice to the defendant and follow specific procedures, including requiring corroborating evidence if the child does not testify. This bill directly affects child victims/witnesses in criminal or juvenile court cases and changes how their out-of-court statements can be presented in court.

Maddy summaryHB 1424, the "Protect Our Federal Workers Act," expands state financial assistance to Maryland residents affected by federal government disruptions beyond just shutdowns. It renames the "Federal Government Shutdown Employee Assistance Loan Fund" to the "Federal Government Employee Assistance Loan Fund" and broadens eligibility to include current federal employees not paid during shutdowns *and* Maryland residents recently terminated due to federal office closures, relocations, or mass layoffs. The bill allows funds from the state’s Catastrophic Event Account to cover costs for these individuals, administered by the Maryland Department of Labor. This changes existing law to provide loans for both ongoing shutdowns and post-layoff financial hardship from federal facility changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a 3-year pilot program creating regional financial counseling centers across Maryland. The centers will provide free, one-on-one assistance to residents on saving money, reducing debt, accessing banking services, and improving credit scores. All services must be offered in English and Spanish, with additional languages as required. Administered by the Comptroller’s office, the program runs from October 2025 through September 2028, with funding secured via state budget appropriations for fiscal years 2027-2028.

Maddy summaryHB 961 prevents state-funded public art contracts from requiring artists to waive copyright protections. It applies to artists commissioned for projects receiving state funding, regardless of whether the state directly paid for the art. The bill bans new contracts from including clauses that force artists to give up copyright rights, and makes existing waivers (signed before October 1, 2025) unenforceable in court. The law takes effect on October 1, 2025, ensuring artists retain legal rights to their work on state projects.