Del. April Miller

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Maryland's Department of Human Services to develop a process for identifying and reducing administrative errors in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The Department must systematically analyze SNAP processing mistakes, create strategies to improve eligibility determination, and monitor progress toward reducing errors. It also mandates that Maryland work to achieve SNAP error rates matching the best-performing state, as measured by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The law directly affects the Department of Human Services and local county offices administering SNAP benefits.

Maddy summaryHB 1179, the Consumer Protection - Application Store Accountability Act, requires app store providers (like Apple App Store or Google Play) and developers operating in Maryland to implement age verification for minors under 18 and obtain verified parental consent before enabling certain transactions. It mandates clear disclosures about an app's age rating and content description to parents before purchases, prohibits enforcing contracts with minors without verified consent, and bans misleading parental consent disclosures. The bill also authorizes Maryland's Consumer Protection Division to enforce these rules under the state's consumer protection laws. This directly affects app stores, developers, parents, and minors using mobile apps in Maryland.

Maddy summaryHB 1404 authorizes investor-owned electric companies and electricity suppliers in Maryland to construct, operate, and recover costs for their own natural gas energy generation facilities and related transmission infrastructure. The bill explicitly permits natural gas energy systems to be built, operated, and permitted in the state while requiring compliance with certificate or commission approval processes. It also directs the Public Service Commission to delay certain orders until specific conditions are met and encourages the PJM Interconnection to expedite interconnection for new thermal generation. The legislation expresses legislative support for developing additional nuclear energy in Maryland. These provisions directly affect energy providers and shape how new power infrastructure can be developed and financed within the state.

Maddy summaryHB 1301 modifies Maryland's historic preservation law to give local jurisdictions the option of allowing people who disagree with a historic preservation commission's decision to appeal directly to their local board of appeals or circuit court (in addition to the existing appeal route). This bill directly affects property owners, developers, or residents challenging preservation rulings. The key provision (added via Section 8-308(B)) authorizes local governments to create this new appeal pathway, though it does not require them to do so. Local jurisdictions would decide whether to implement this option for appeals. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 1386, "Victoria, Scottie, Ashleigh, and Yader’s Law," makes it a felony for repeat drug distributors to provide heroin, fentanyl, or similar drugs when that distribution causes death or serious injury to another person. It applies only to individuals with prior convictions for distributing controlled substances under Maryland law. The law holds every person who transferred the drugs before the harm occurred liable, mandates a maximum 20-year prison sentence (served consecutively to other sentences), and clarifies that the law covers cases where drugs were mixed with other substances or distributed directly to the victim. This bill directly affects repeat drug distributors whose actions result in fatal or severe injuries, not general users or first-time offenders.

Maddy summaryHB 1518 changes Maryland's property tax assessment cycle from every three years to every five years for most real property. This affects all Maryland property owners by reducing how frequently their property values are reassessed for tax purposes. The bill maintains that revaluation is still required if specific events occur, such as zoning changes, major improvements adding $100,000+ in value, or errors in calculation. It also preserves property owners' rights to appeal assessments and request re-inspections during the five-year cycle. The bill amends multiple sections of Maryland's tax code to implement this extended cycle.

Maddy summaryHB 1482 requires Maryland counties and municipalities to automatically grant a property tax credit to disabled veterans and surviving spouses who own their homes, replacing the previous "may grant" option. It increases the credit to 80% of property taxes for veterans with 70%+ service-connected disability (up from 50%), 40% for 50-69% disability (up from 25%), and 20% for 20-49% disability. To qualify, applicants must have a VA-certified disability rating, own a primary residence, and have federal adjusted gross income under $100,000. Surviving spouses may also continue receiving the credit under local laws. The bill mandates these changes starting June 1, 2026, for all taxable years after that date.

Maddy summaryHB 1555 modifies oversight for Maryland's Blueprint for Maryland's Future education plan. It shortens the term of members on the Accountability and Implementation Board from 6 to 4 years, creates an appeals process for public schools to challenge fund withholdings (allowing appeals to the Office of Administrative Hearings), and establishes a new Stakeholder Advisory Council and Joint Oversight Committee. The bill also requires performance audits of the Board by the Office of Legislative Audits and places the Board under the jurisdiction of the Inspector General for Education. These changes directly affect the Board, public schools, and state oversight bodies managing education funding.

Maddy summaryHB 1453 updates Maryland's gaming regulations by requiring video lottery operators to obtain player consent for credit extensions with mandatory gambling help warnings (like "1-800-GAMBLER") on applications. It mandates a central list tracking all approved credit extensions to prevent exceeding a player's net worth, increases violation penalties to $50,000 per day, and changes revenue distribution: 84% of fantasy competition proceeds stay with operators, 1% goes to problem gambling funds, and single-event sports wagers are capped at $100,000. The bill directly affects video lottery licensees, players, and the State Lottery Commission, which must implement these rules. These changes aim to strengthen player protections and clarify financial oversight in gaming operations.

Maddy summaryHB 1545 establishes a program requiring Frederick County public schools to install video and audio recording devices in specialized instructional settings (where students with disabilities receive at least 50% of instruction) to document incidents like bullying, abuse, or harm. The bill mandates recordings in classrooms but prohibits recording in bathrooms or clothing-change areas, with audio devices limited to those specific zones. All recordings must be managed by an unbiased third party (not school staff), reviewed regularly, and made accessible to parents, law enforcement, or child protective services only after incidents occur. Parents may request exemptions for their child from audio recordings in designated areas, which must be documented in the student’s education plan. The program explicitly prohibits using recordings for teacher evaluations and requires written notice to parents before activation.