Rep. Sandy Rosenberg

Maddy summaryHB 488 establishes the geographic boundaries for Maryland's eight congressional districts for the 2026 elections. It specifies exact county and election district portions, using census tract data to define district lines where precincts are split, based on boundaries as they existed on January 13, 2026. This bill directly affects voters in Maryland's congressional districts by determining which communities are grouped together for electing U.S. Representatives. It replaces previous election law sections (8-702 through 8-709) and clarifies that certain districting rules apply only to state legislative districts, not congressional ones.

Maddy summaryHB 514, the "Keeping Charities Nonpartisan Act of 2026," prohibits charitable organizations recognized by the IRS as tax-exempt (with deductible donations) from participating in political campaigns for or against candidates. It requires the Secretary of State and Attorney General to jointly revoke a charity’s state tax-exempt status if they violate this rule, and mandates that organizations losing status forfeit state income, sales, use, and property tax exemptions. The bill amends Maryland law to define "charitable organization" to include IRS-recognized groups and strengthens enforcement mechanisms for political activity violations. This directly affects nonprofits currently holding federal tax-exempt status that operate in Maryland.

Maddy summaryHB 650, the Maryland Uniform Public Expression Protection Act, creates a procedural shield against strategic lawsuits meant to silence public debate. It allows individuals or groups who spoke about government matters or public issues (e.g., activists, journalists) to file a "special motion" within 60 days of being sued to dismiss the case, pausing all other court proceedings. The law covers communications in government proceedings, public issue discussions, or protected speech rights under state/federal constitutions, but excludes lawsuits by government entities, public health/safety enforcement, or commercial speech about goods/services. It replaces existing law (Section 5-807) with new provisions (Sections 5-1301 through 5-1313) to expedite dismissal of such cases.

Maddy summaryHB 572 authorizes Maryland’s Attorney General to sue large fossil fuel companies (with over $1 billion in market capitalization involved in extracting or processing coal, oil, or gas) for unlawful conduct contributing to climate change, including fraud or deception. It creates the Climate Crimes Accountability Fund, financed by settlements or judgments from these lawsuits, to pay for programs addressing specific climate harms like flooding, extreme heat, drought, and waterborne pathogens. The fund is a special, non-lapsing account managed by the state, with interest earnings automatically added to it. All money must directly support climate harm prevention, mitigation, or repair efforts as defined in the bill.

Maddy summaryHB 335 automatically considers private roads open to public travel for 20 or more years as offered for public dedication. If a county or municipality maintains such a road like a public road, it is deemed accepted as public property without further action. This affects property owners with long-used private roads and local governments responsible for road maintenance, ensuring consistent treatment across jurisdictions. The law takes effect October 1, 2026, and prevents local ordinances from conflicting with these provisions.

Maddy summaryHB 356 creates new Maryland law (subtitles 13) to protect religious freedom by requiring government actions to meet strict standards before burdening religious exercise. It prohibits governmental authorities from substantially burdening religious practice unless the action serves a "compelling governmental interest" using the "least restrictive means," applying to state/local governments and their employees. Individuals or religious organizations harmed by violations can seek remedies like injunctions or damages in court, though it does not override existing constitutional protections or affect funding decisions. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, and directly affects anyone whose religious practices might intersect with government regulations or policies.

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.

Maddy summaryHB 424 creates a Prescription Drug Affordability Board with authority to set upper payment limits for prescription drugs causing affordability challenges in Maryland. The Board must consider costs like administration and delivery when setting limits, and it must reconsider limits if a drug becomes a "current shortage" (listed on the FDA shortage database or determined by the Board). This directly affects drug manufacturers (who set wholesale costs), pharmacies (receiving reimbursements), and healthcare providers, particularly those in the 340B program. The bill prohibits setting new limits for drugs in shortage and bans enforcement of limits against Medicare Part C/D plan reimbursements.

Maddy summaryHB 1292 requires health insurance carriers in Maryland to maintain an updated online "provider directory" (replacing the previous "network directory" term to align with federal law). The bill mandates that carriers make this directory available online with a clear search function and include specific details for each provider, such as specialty, office locations, contact information, and whether they accept new patients. Carriers must verify and update the directory regularly, ensuring it accurately reflects participating providers and facilities. This directly affects health insurance companies and their members (enrollees) by improving access to current provider information.

Maddy summaryHB 1474 allows out-of-state licensed professional counselors to provide temporary telehealth counseling services to specific students enrolled at Maryland colleges. It directly affects out-of-state counselors and students who are out-of-state residents living near a Maryland institution of higher education (not established Maryland residents). Key provisions require an existing therapeutic relationship between counselor and student, limit services to 5 days per month or 15 days annually, and exclude students with in-state health insurance plans restricting coverage to local providers. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025, and will be superseded if the Interstate Counseling Compact begins issuing cross-state licenses.