Maddy summaryHB 500, the Procurement Reform Act of 2025, streamlines Maryland state government purchasing by transferring key authority from the Secretary of General Services to the Chief Procurement Officer. It adjusts dollar thresholds requiring public notice or reporting for procurements, modifies small business preference programs (including expanding eligibility for small business reserves), and adds new requirements for contractors to submit workforce diversity plans for contracts over $500,000. The bill also creates a procurement preference for businesses certified for "good labor practices" and mandates that certain agencies establish working groups to address procurement issues. These changes directly affect state agencies, contractors (especially small businesses), and the Office of Small, Minority, and Women Business Affairs, which gains oversight of new workforce diversity rules.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryHB 1222 (Maryland Values Act) requires Maryland correctional facilities to detain and transfer individuals who are not lawfully present in the U.S. and have been convicted of a violent crime to federal immigration authorities within 48 hours when requested. It prohibits law enforcement officers from detaining people or prolonging arrests based on immigration status during routine stops or investigations, and bans transferring individuals to federal immigration authorities except for the defined "covered individuals" (those with violent crime convictions and unlawful presence). The bill also terminates existing immigration enforcement agreements between Maryland entities and federal authorities by a specified deadline. This directly affects state/local correctional facilities, law enforcement officers, and individuals with certain immigration statuses and violent crime convictions.
Maddy summaryHB 1100 requires Maryland's Department of Health, working with the Commission on Health Equity, to create a public data dashboard showing health disparities. The dashboard must display age-adjusted health data broken down by race, ethnicity, and gender, covering specific areas like health insurance access, cardiovascular disease, mental health, cancer, and HIV/AIDS. The Department must update the dashboard at least every 30 days and post the latest version prominently on its website. This law directly affects Maryland residents by making health equity data more accessible to the public, researchers, and health officials.
Maddy summaryHB 666 requires Maryland's Medicaid program (Maryland Medical Assistance Program) and most health insurance plans to cover calcium score testing for individuals with specific heart disease risk factors. It directly affects people with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or a family history of early heart disease - requiring coverage if they have at least three of these risk factors. The law mandates coverage starting January 1, 2026, for Medicaid and all health insurance policies issued or renewed after that date. This change applies to insurers, nonprofit health plans, health maintenance organizations, and managed care organizations operating in Maryland. The bill does not alter coverage for other medical services but specifically adds calcium scoring to required benefits.
Maddy summaryHB 1315 requires Maryland health insurers to cover all childhood and adolescent immunizations recommended by either the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices or the American Academy of Pediatrics' schedule, without deductibles. It directly affects health insurers offering family coverage in Maryland, mandating these vaccines as part of the required "minimum package of child wellness services." The bill expands current coverage to include all recommended vaccines under these two authoritative sources, rather than a limited list. This policy change takes effect January 1, 2026, for all new or renewed policies.
Maddy summaryHB 820 requires health insurance companies, pharmacy benefits managers, and private review agents to follow specific rules when using artificial intelligence (AI) for medical coverage decisions (utilization review). It mandates that AI tools base decisions on individual patient medical records - not just group data - and cannot replace healthcare providers in review processes. The bill also prohibits AI from causing prohibited discrimination and requires insurers to report whether AI was used in denied claims. This directly affects insurers and review entities that use AI to approve or deny treatments, hospital stays, or medications.
Maddy summaryHB 707 (Eric’s ID Law) requires Maryland’s Motor Vehicle Administration to add a voluntary notation for nonapparent disabilities - such as developmental or intellectual disabilities - on driver’s licenses, ID cards, and moped permits. Applicants can choose to indicate this disability without providing proof or paying extra fees, and the notation will appear on the document’s bottom. The law prohibits the Administration from disclosing this information to insurers or using it to refer applicants to medical boards. It also mandates public outreach to inform people about this option. This directly affects individuals with nonapparent disabilities who apply for or renew these documents.
Maddy summaryHB 506, the Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act, creates the Maryland Leaders in Environmentally Engaged Farming (LEEF) Program to reduce nutrients in the Chesapeake Bay watershed through voluntary farm conservation practices. The bill establishes a special fund for the program, redefines "healthy soils" for existing soil programs, and exempts certain fishing license holders from needing food establishment licenses. Key provisions include tiered recognition for farms adopting conservation practices, requirements for the Department of Environment to authorize water quality trading credits, and new rules for fisheries management and aquaculture leases. The bill directly affects Maryland farmers, state environmental agencies, and fishing industry participants by changing how conservation incentives and regulations are implemented.
Maddy summaryHB 436 repeals the 2-year expiration requirement for medical exemptions allowing tinted windows with less than 35% light transmittance in Maryland. It directly affects residents with medical conditions requiring enhanced window tinting (e.g., photosensitivity), who previously needed to renew certifications every two years. The bill removes the time limit from Section 22-406(i)(4)(ii) of the Maryland Annotated Code, allowing exemptions to remain valid as long as the medical need persists. This change simplifies the process for affected drivers by eliminating the need for periodic renewal. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025.
Maddy summaryHB 681 changes Maryland law to require courts to send child support calculation details and orders to the Child Support Administration after establishing a payment order. It modifies license suspension rules by mandating written notice to parents (obligors) before suspension, including their right to request an investigation for inaccurate arrears, employment impact, or undue hardship. The bill also establishes a process for administrative appeals and requires reinstatement of licenses once payments are made, a payment agreement is met, or hardship grounds are verified. This directly affects parents who owe child support and streamlines communication between courts, child support agencies, and the Motor Vehicle Administration.