Del. Marlon Amprey

Maddy summaryHB 1428 (End Hedge Fund Control of Maryland Homes Act of 2025) imposes an excise tax on the acquisition and excess ownership of single-family homes in Maryland by certain entities (like hedge funds), with tax revenue funding a new down payment assistance program. The bill requires sellers to accept offers from individuals, community development organizations, nonprofits, or small real estate businesses during the first 30 days of listing, provided those buyers own less than 3% of residential properties in the county. It also modifies the state transfer tax rate for certain home sales and establishes a dedicated, nonlapsing fund for down payment and settlement expenses. The law directly affects large-scale property owners and home sellers, aiming to increase affordability for first-time buyers through these tax and sales mechanisms.

Maddy summaryHB 1216 would exempt Purple Heart, Medal of Honor, Silver Star, and Bronze Star recipients, as well as members of Gold Star families (immediate family members of service members killed in action), from paying vehicle registration fees in Maryland. The bill amends existing law to add these groups as eligible for fee exemptions on vehicles they own, lease, or personally use. This change expands current exemptions that already cover veterans with disabilities and other specific groups under Maryland's Transportation Article. The exemption would take effect on October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1471 establishes a certification program for peer-to-peer lending services under Maryland's Commissioner of Financial Regulation. Qualified peer-to-peer lenders who receive this certification are exempt from certain state lending laws, including the Maryland Consumer Loan Law, and from regulations governing licensed lenders and collection agencies. The bill amends existing statutes to create this exemption, specifically stating that certified providers and their loans are not subject to commercial law requirements related to lending. This program directly affects peer-to-peer lending platforms that meet the certification criteria, providing them regulatory relief while operating within the state's financial framework.

Maddy summaryHB 1416 establishes specific processing fees for business documents filed with Maryland's State Department of Assessments and Taxation. It sets a $100 fee for key filings like articles of incorporation, merger documents, and annual reports (except for family farms, which pay $100 annually), and $25 fees for address changes or corrections. The bill directly affects businesses, including corporations, LLCs, and partnerships, that must submit these documents to the state. It amends existing law to standardize these fees, replacing previous fee structures without creating new filing requirements. The bill does not specify expedited processing timelines, focusing solely on fee amounts for standard document processing.

Maddy summaryHB 1407, the NO FAKES Act, gives individuals the right to control how their voice or visual likeness is used in digital replicas (like AI-generated images or voices that mimic them), including after death. This right continues for up to 15 years after death (10 years initially, extendable by 5 more years if the likeness was actively used publicly in the prior two years) and can be managed by heirs or licensees. Online platforms must designate an agent to handle violation complaints and may restore mistakenly removed content. The law does not apply to standard music sampling, remixes, or authorized copyright uses, and violations can result in civil liability.

Maddy summaryHB 846, the Transportation Access and Revenue Act, requires businesses providing short-term vehicle rentals and peer-to-peer car sharing to collect sales tax on these services. It directs 45% of the tax revenue from these services to the Transportation Trust Fund (for roads and transit projects) and the remainder to a coastal conservation fund. The bill also mandates that sales tax revenue from electricity used to charge electric vehicles at public charging stations (not under residential rates) be allocated to the Transportation Trust Fund. This changes how certain transportation-related tax revenue is distributed, affecting car-sharing companies, rental businesses, and electric vehicle charging providers.

Maddy summaryHB 501 (RAISE Act) simplifies licensing for workers who complete approved apprenticeships. It allows the State Board of Plumbing to waive the journey plumber exam for those who finish an approved program, and authorizes the Secretary of Labor to waive exams for other licensed trades under similar conditions. The bill creates new programs, including the Maryland Office of Registered Apprenticeship Development and an Apprenticeship Incentive Program, funded by a nonlapsing special fund for interest earnings. These changes directly affect apprentices, licensed trades workers (like plumbers), and employers participating in approved training programs. The law applies retroactively to existing apprenticeship completions.

Maddy summaryHB 387 imposes an excise tax on firearms dealers' gross receipts from firearm sales within Maryland and to Maryland residents. The tax revenue will fund three existing state programs: the Coordinated Community Supports Partnership Fund (Education), the Maryland Trauma Physician Services Fund (Health), and the Maryland Violence Intervention and Prevention Program Fund (Public Safety). The bill creates new tax provisions under "Title 7.7" in the Tax-General Article to collect and distribute these funds, replacing previous language in multiple code sections. This directly affects firearms dealers through the new tax obligation and directs funding to community safety and health programs. The policy change is a concrete tax mechanism for reallocating firearm sales revenue to specific public safety initiatives.

Maddy summaryHB 608 requires Maryland county school boards to grant temporary school admission to students when parents or guardians cannot immediately provide proof of required immunizations. This temporary enrollment lasts up to 60 days, during which parents must schedule an appointment with a health provider or local health department to obtain immunizations, reconstruct lost records, or get evidence of age-appropriate immunity. Parents must then submit proof of the immunization on the next school day following the appointment. The bill directly affects public school students and their families in Maryland, balancing school safety with practical barriers to documentation.

Maddy summaryHB 606 requires real estate professionals - such as developers, builders, brokers, and agents - to report the final sale price of new homes sold in Maryland into a Multiple Listing Service (MLS) or similar public database within 30 days of the sale. This applies specifically to new home sales and directly affects those selling new properties. The key provision mandates that final sale prices, not initial listings, be entered into existing MLS systems used by real estate professionals. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025, aiming to increase transparency in new home pricing data without creating new reporting systems.