Del. April Miller

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits violent acts in medical facilities and places of worship by adding a felony penalty for such offenses. It defines "medical facilities" broadly to include hospitals, clinics, and health agencies, and "places of worship" as nonresidential religious gathering spaces. Violating this law subjects offenders to up to 10 additional years in prison, with penalties running consecutively to sentences for the underlying violent crime. The law directly affects anyone committing violence in these locations, enhancing penalties for crimes committed in these specific settings.

Maddy summaryHB 1357 requires the Maryland Department of Health to annually collect and report detailed cost data for four key reproductive health services: birth (including complications and neonatal care), postpartum care (including mental health), pregnancy care (routine visits and testing), and abortion (procedures, complications, and medication). This data collection applies to hospitals, healthcare providers, and other entities offering these services, with strict privacy safeguards to protect patient information. The department must publish a public report each December starting in 2025, including regional cost comparisons, trend analysis, and recommendations for cost efficiency. The bill aims to improve transparency in healthcare spending and inform policy decisions without changing existing abortion access or services.

Maddy summaryHB 1288 invalidates noncompete agreements for most healthcare employees earning $350,000 or less annually, including licensed professionals providing direct patient care (such as nurses, doctors, and veterinary technicians). For higher-earning healthcare workers ($350,000+), the bill limits noncompete restrictions to a maximum one-year period and a 10-mile geographic radius from their primary workplace. It also requires employers to notify patients if a former employee begins practicing nearby. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025, and applies to employment contracts regardless of where they were signed.

Maddy summaryHB 1031 requires health insurers, nonprofit health plans, and health maintenance organizations in Maryland to cover prescription weight loss drugs for people diagnosed with obesity and at least one related health condition (like diabetes or high blood pressure) that can be treated with these medications. It applies to all individual, group, and blanket health insurance policies issued or renewed in Maryland on or after January 1, 2026. The law directly affects covered individuals with obesity and specific comorbidities, as well as the insurers obligated to provide this coverage. It does not change existing coverage for weight loss drugs unrelated to obesity or other qualifying conditions.

Maddy summaryHB 733 allows candidates running for county school boards in Maryland to voluntarily include their party affiliation on their candidacy forms and ballots. Local election offices must display this information if provided by the candidate and cannot disqualify a candidate for including it. The bill maintains that school board elections remain nonpartisan, meaning party labels appear only for voter information without changing the election's nonpartisan status. This directly affects candidates seeking school board seats and local election offices preparing ballots.

Maddy summaryHB 1250 requires the State Retirement Agency to estimate how teacher salary increases (both base pay and career ladder compensation) will affect employer contribution rates for teachers' retirement systems. The agency must submit a report to the Maryland General Assembly by December 15, 2025, detailing these impacts for fiscal years 2027 through 2032, using 2026 budgeted salaries as the baseline. This is a procedural requirement for analysis, not a policy change affecting current contributions or salaries.

Maddy summaryHB 142 establishes a Veterans and Military Families Ombudsman position within Maryland's Department of Veterans and Military Families. The Ombudsman, who must be a veteran, serves as a neutral resource to help veterans and military families navigate state and federal services, explain their rights, and identify patterns in complaints. Key provisions include operating a toll-free hotline (available in multiple languages), maintaining confidentiality, and submitting annual reports to the Governor and legislature starting in 2026. This bill directly affects veterans, military families, and the state agency responsible for implementing the program. The Ombudsman’s role focuses on providing information and support, not changing existing benefits or services.

Maddy summaryHB 81 requires that when the government takes farm or agricultural land for public projects (like infrastructure), the property owner receives compensation based on 350% of the highest appraisal value of the land, rather than standard fair market value. This directly affects Maryland farmers and landowners whose property is condemned for public use, including cases involving transmission lines. The bill changes how "fair market value" is calculated in condemnation proceedings for qualifying agricultural property, as defined by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation. The law applies retroactively to all condemnation cases involving farm land since its effective date.

Maddy summaryHB 1398 (Victoria, Scottie, Ashleigh, and Yader’s Law) makes it a felony to distribute heroin, fentanyl, or their synthetic versions when that distribution causes death or serious bodily harm. It targets individuals selling or giving these drugs (excluding non-commercial sharing like exchanging for goods), with penalties including up to 20 years in prison and consecutive sentencing to other charges. The bill also provides immunity from prosecution for people who seek or provide medical assistance during an overdose emergency. This law directly affects drug distributors whose actions result in harm, not users or those aiding overdose victims.

Maddy summaryHB 734, the Real Time for Violent Crime Act, prohibits incarcerated individuals convicted of first- or second-degree murder from earning sentence reduction credits (diminution credits) that shorten their prison time. It also limits sentence reductions for violent crimes to no more than 10% of the total sentence for those convicted of crimes of violence (as defined in Maryland law), and restricts judges from granting pretrial release to defendants charged with violent crimes if they have pending charges or recent convictions for specific violent offenses. The bill directly affects people serving sentences for murder or violent crimes in Maryland correctional facilities and changes how courts handle sentence reductions and pretrial releases for these cases.