Maddy summaryHB 985 allows Maryland counties to establish a second administrative charging committee for reviewing police misconduct complaints, if the county governing body determines one committee is insufficient to serve all countywide and local law enforcement agencies. This bill amends existing law by adding a new provision (Section 3-104(a)(1)(II)) that permits counties to authorize a second committee under specific circumstances. The key mechanism requires county officials to formally decide that a single committee cannot adequately handle the volume of cases, without changing the committee composition or disciplinary standards. The bill directly affects county governments and law enforcement agencies by providing administrative flexibility in handling misconduct investigations.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryHB 1435 prohibits Maryland police officers from affiliating with, supporting, or advocating for white supremacist groups, ideologies, or causes, or participating in FBI-designated extremist groups that promote illegal violence. It defines such groups as those promoting white superiority, racial hatred, or violence against Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC). The Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission must enforce this ban, which takes effect October 1, 2025. The law directly affects all current and future Maryland police officers.
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 464 requires Maryland local school systems to provide parents of children with disabilities with written information about secondary transition services during Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings. Specifically, it mandates this information be given at least once yearly and beginning when a student turns 14 years old. The bill also requires that materials be provided in the parent's native language if English is not their primary language. This applies directly to parents of students with IEPs in Maryland public schools, ensuring they receive clear, accessible planning resources for their child's post-secondary goals. The law amends existing Maryland education code sections to formalize these requirements.
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.
Maddy summaryHB 686 amends Maryland law to improve the process for certifying victims of qualifying crimes who apply for U Nonimmigrant Status (a federal visa for crime victims). It creates a rebuttable presumption that victims or their representatives (like parents, guardians, or next friends) are helpful to law enforcement if they haven’t refused to provide information, shortens the certification timeline to 30 days (7 days if the victim faces immigration removal), and requires certifying entities to develop language access protocols for non-English speakers. The bill directly affects victims of certain crimes and their families seeking this visa, ensuring certifications are more timely and accessible. These changes aim to streamline the state’s role in supporting federal visa applications without altering the visa program itself.
Maddy summaryHB 868, nicknamed "Granny's Law," allows personal representatives (executors) to petition courts to interpret wills regarding health-related legacies based on the decedent’s intent to address health equity. It applies when a will leaves money to health providers or charities but doesn’t explicitly require it for health equity, even if the decedent lived with health equity interests. The bill creates a rebuttable presumption that such legacies must address health equity unless proven otherwise, and requires beneficiaries to show how the legacy was used for that purpose within three years. It also lets courts defer to personal representatives who include specific language in wills authorizing them to act without court approval for health equity efforts. The law applies retroactively to wills probated after a certain date.
Maddy summaryHB 55 allows individuals with completed misdemeanor or felony sentences to petition courts for expungement (clearing criminal records) at any time if they demonstrate "good cause." Courts must consider factors like the crime's nature, the person's rehabilitation, public safety risk, and how the conviction impacts employment, housing, and education. If denied, the decision cannot be appealed, and the person cannot reapply for five years for the same conviction. This bill directly affects people with past convictions seeking to improve their job prospects, housing options, and access to public assistance.
Maddy summaryHB 1190, the "Criminal Law - Youth Accountability and Safety Act," modifies Maryland's murder statutes to protect individuals who were children at the time of a crime. It prohibits finding someone guilty of first-degree murder under specific circumstances (like crimes committed during burglary or robbery) unless they were the main actor in the offense. The bill creates a process allowing people convicted of first-degree murder before September 30, 2025, who were children at the time and not the main actor, to file a motion for review. Courts must hold hearings to determine if the person could be convicted under current law after October 1, 2025, and may vacate the conviction or resentence without increasing penalties. This directly affects a small number of individuals currently incarcerated for such convictions.
Maddy summaryHB 875 establishes a 17-member Commission on History, Culture, and Civics in Education to recommend curriculum changes for Maryland public schools. The commission must include specific representatives from Maryland’s Indigenous tribes, LGBTQIA+ community, disabled community, teachers, Latino, African American, and Asian American/Pacific Islander communities, with a majority required to have classroom or curriculum development experience. It will examine contributions of diverse groups (including American Indians, religious minorities, women, and disabled communities) and make annual recommendations to the State Board of Education by December 30 each year. All commission meetings, materials, and reports must be publicly posted online. The bill directly affects Maryland’s K-12 education system through required curriculum updates based on these recommendations.