Del. Marlon Amprey

Maddy summaryHB 1303, the "Alcoholic Beverages Modernization Act of 2026," allows qualifying food retailers (with at least 5 food categories and 4,000 sq ft), pharmacies, and retail service stations (with electric vehicle charging) to obtain Class A alcohol sales licenses. It permits these businesses to purchase licenses from existing holders or apply directly to local licensing boards, with approval presumed to be in the community’s best interest. The bill restricts sales to 9 a.m.-8 p.m. (Mon-Sat), prohibits self-checkout systems for alcohol, and bans selling small mixed drinks or exterior alcohol advertising. Existing license holders must be at least 3,000 feet away from the new applicant’s location, and all licensees must complete alcohol awareness training and employ security for alcohol sales areas.

Maddy summaryHB 1519, the "Cannabis Reform and Opportunity Act," revises Maryland's cannabis regulations to streamline business operations. It clarifies that "control" of a cannabis business excludes certain management service agreements (capped at 25% of gross revenue or 50% of gross profit annually), franchise relationships, and purchase options. The bill removes restrictions on acquiring ownership interests in multiple cannabis businesses and requires management agreements to be reviewed by the Maryland Cannabis Administration. It also modifies advertising rules to permit outdoor ads near business premises (but not within specific distances of schools) and increases fines for unlicensed cannabis sales. These changes primarily affect licensed cannabis businesses, investors, and advertisers operating under Maryland's cannabis program.

Maddy summaryHB 960 establishes Maryland's Federal Employee-to-Entrepreneur Program within the Department of Commerce to assist former or transitioning federal employees in starting businesses. The program provides annual training, one-on-one coaching, and tools for business planning, compliance, marketing, and capital readiness to 60 participants (4 cohorts of 15) each fiscal year. It requires the Department to develop application procedures and a curriculum, with $400,000 in annual state funding to support these services. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026, creating a structured pathway for federal workers seeking entrepreneurial careers.

Maddy summaryHB 968 increases filing fees for specific securities-related submissions under Maryland's Securities Act. It raises the fee for filings under exemption §11-601(16) from $100 to $250 per filing, and for the initial notice of federal covered securities from $100 to $250, with an additional $150 fee for subsequent notices. These changes directly affect businesses and individuals submitting these filings, such as those offering securities under certain exemptions or federal-covered securities. The fee increases will take effect October 1, 2026, with no changes to the registration fee structure for securities offerings.

Maddy summaryHB 818 requires Maryland public colleges to cover tuition, room, board, required books, course materials, supplies, and equipment for foster care recipients and homeless youth who qualify. It defines "foster care recipient" as individuals in out-of-home placements (with specific age or guardianship criteria) and "homeless youth" as those verified under federal McKinney-Vento guidelines. To qualify, students must enroll before age 25 for a vocational certificate, associate’s, or bachelor’s degree, file for federal/state financial aid, and cannot use scholarships/grants toward covered costs. The exemption lasts until the student earns their degree or 10 years after starting their program, whichever comes first.

Maddy summaryHB 884 requires Maryland to appropriate at least $5 million annually to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) starting in fiscal year 2028, continuing until a total of $321,181,312 is funded. This addresses a historical funding disparity between UMES (Maryland's 1890 land-grant university for historically Black students) and the University of Maryland, College Park (the 1862 land-grant institution), which received less state funding per student from 1987-2020. Funds must supplement - never replace - existing state budget allocations and can be used for infrastructure, faculty investment, scholarships, or other institutional needs identified by UMES. The bill mandates annual appropriations that cannot decrease year-over-year, aiming to fully remediate the identified funding gap.

Maddy summaryHB 1340 establishes the Prison Education Delivery Reform Commission as an independent state body to improve education access for people in Maryland's criminal and juvenile justice systems. The commission, composed of 11 appointed members including state agency heads, legislators, and external experts, must develop a statewide education framework using data to reduce recidivism and increase public safety. Key tasks include researching best practices for education programs, evaluating current workforce training, forming an advisory group with justice reform organizations, and seeking technical assistance from national experts. This commission directly affects incarcerated individuals and justice system stakeholders by focusing on education as a strategy to improve outcomes. The bill creates a structured process for policy recommendations but does not change existing education programs.

Maddy summaryHB 932 requires the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) to complete construction of its fifth bus division facility by June 30, 2032. The bill directly affects the MTA, mandating it to identify necessary funding in the 2027-2033 Consolidated Transportation Program to ensure the facility is operational by the deadline. Key provisions include a fixed completion date and annual funding planning requirements for the MTA’s capital budget. This bill does not alter service operations but sets a concrete timeline and funding process for a new infrastructure project.

Maddy summaryHB 859, the Maryland Financial Innovation Act of 2026, prohibits state agencies and local governments from restricting certain digital asset activities, such as accepting cryptocurrency for payments, using self-hosted wallets, operating blockchain nodes, or participating in staking. It specifically clarifies that "staking as a service" (where a provider manages staking infrastructure for users) does not constitute a security under Maryland law, exempting it from securities registration requirements. The bill preserves existing authority for the Commissioner of Financial Regulation (under the Maryland Money Transmission Act) and the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division to enforce relevant laws. This directly affects financial institutions, crypto service providers, and consumers engaging with digital assets in Maryland, aiming to create a clearer regulatory framework for innovation.

Maddy summaryHB 1261, the Artificial Intelligence Toy Safety Act, requires manufacturers of AI toys marketed to children in Maryland to include specific safety features and data privacy protections. It mandates parental consent mechanisms, age-appropriate content filters to block harmful or inappropriate material (like violence or emotional manipulation), automatic "safe mode" that disables the toy during risky interactions, and prohibitions on using child data for marketing. The law directly affects toy manufacturers selling AI toys in Maryland, requiring them to conduct safety assessments and update software for vulnerabilities. Violations are treated as unfair trade practices under Maryland's Consumer Protection Act, with enforcement handled by a new Review Panel under the Attorney General's office.