Del. Melissa Wells

Maddy summaryHB 1533 allows Baltimore City's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) within the Department of Housing and Community Development to access digital photos and signatures from Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) records. The bill amends existing law to explicitly include the SIU as a "criminal justice agency" authorized to view these records, which were previously restricted from public access. This change specifically permits the SIU to obtain digital images and signatures stored by the MVA for housing and community development investigations, without altering other public access rules for these records.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows terminally ill Maryland residents with decision-making capacity to request medication to end their lives through a structured process. It requires two physician consultations (including a consulting physician confirming the diagnosis), a mental health assessment, and written requests spaced at least 15 days apart. Pharmacists may dispense the medication only to qualifying patients, and the law clarifies that providers acting under these rules won’t violate assisted suicide laws. Death from self-administered medication will be recorded as natural causes for insurance and legal purposes.

Maddy summaryHB 697 requires Maryland health insurance carriers to submit quarterly reports to the Maryland Insurance Commissioner about their use of artificial intelligence (AI) and automated decision-making systems. Specifically, carriers must report details on AI system deployment (including training data sources, purpose, and bias testing), as well as expanded demographic data on grievances and adverse decisions (broken down by zip code, race, ethnicity, gender, and age). The bill also updates existing reporting rules to include the monetary value of grievance decisions and timeframes for handling cases. These reports will enable the Commissioner to compile annual oversight summaries and identify potential disparities in insurance practices.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how Maryland calculates the share of highway user revenues that must be given to Baltimore City as a capital grant. Starting in fiscal year 2028, the city's portion of these funds will increase from 9.5% to 12.2% of the total revenue collected from sources like gas taxes and vehicle fees. The bill also adjusts the percentages for other local governments, reducing the share going to counties from 3.7% to 3.7% and municipalities from 2.4% to 2.4%, while maintaining the same distribution rules. These changes apply to funds collected from gasoline taxes, vehicle titling fees, registration fees, and short-term rental taxes, with the new calculation taking effect on July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1501 increases penalties for intentionally causing physical injury to Baltimore City's special enforcement officers while they are performing official duties. The bill upgrades this offense from a misdemeanor to a felony, raising the maximum fine from $2,500 to $5,000 and maintaining a maximum 10-year prison sentence. It specifically targets assaults on officers authorized under Baltimore City Code §16-16A (special enforcement), §16-16B (parking enforcement), and §16-16C (traffic enforcement). The law directly affects individuals who assault these officers during work, making such actions a more serious criminal offense. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 607 establishes the PAREA Grant Program to provide financial assistance to minorities residing in historically redlined neighborhoods and underrepresented communities for training to become real estate appraisers. The program aims to close appraisal gaps in these areas, diversify the appraisal profession, and support individuals pursuing real estate appraisal careers. Administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission, the grants directly target residents in communities historically excluded from the appraisal field. This policy creates a concrete pathway for career development in a specific profession while addressing documented disparities in real estate services.

Maddy summaryHB 941 requires the Governor to include at least $5 million annually in the state budget for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) starting in fiscal year 2027, continuing until a total of $321,181,312 is appropriated. This addresses a historical funding disparity identified by the state legislature, where UMES (as Maryland’s 1890 land-grant institution) received less per-student state funding than UM College Park (the 1862 land-grant institution) from 1987-2020. Funds must be supplemental to existing appropriations and can be used for infrastructure, faculty, scholarships, or other institutional needs identified by UMES. The bill aims to fully remedy the $321 million shortfall over time through mandatory annual appropriations.

Maddy summaryHB 1422 establishes the Maryland Reparations Commission to study and recommend benefits for individuals whose ancestors were enslaved in Maryland or were impacted by historical inequitable government policies (such as housing segregation and redlining during the Jim Crow era). The Commission, composed of 15 members including state officials, historians, community representatives, and public members, will examine U.S. reparations models and potential benefits like monetary compensation, tax rebates, or housing assistance. It must submit a preliminary report by January 2027 and a final report by November 2027 to the Governor and General Assembly. The bill focuses solely on research and recommendations, not on implementing specific reparations.

Maddy summaryHB 1324 allows Maryland hospitals to sell unpaid patient medical debt to nonprofit organizations *only* if the nonprofit cancels the debt. This directly affects hospitals (requiring them to amend financial policies) and patients with outstanding medical bills who may have their debt forgiven through this process. Key provisions mandate hospitals to dismiss all pending legal actions for sold debt and prohibit any further collection efforts - including on judgments - on debt sold to qualifying nonprofits. The bill also updates hospital reporting requirements to include demographic data on debt collection practices, but its core change centers on enabling debt cancellation via nonprofit partnerships.

Maddy summaryHB 1006, the "Protecting Sensitive Locations Act," requires Maryland's Attorney General to create guidelines limiting immigration enforcement at specific sensitive locations like schools, hospitals, places of worship, childcare centers, and domestic violence shelters. State agencies operating at these locations must either adopt policies aligned with the guidelines or submit written justification and existing policies if they choose not to comply. The bill directly affects all Maryland state agencies managing facilities listed in the law, such as public schools, community health centers, and emergency shelters. Its key mechanism is mandating agency adherence to the guidelines or transparent documentation of non-compliance. The law aims to reduce immigration enforcement disruptions at places where vulnerable populations seek essential services.