Del. Sandy Rosenberg

Maddy summaryHB 763 requires Maryland public and qualifying nonpublic schools to include age-appropriate material about human and sex trafficking awareness and prevention in health curricula for students in grades 6 through 8. This amendment to existing education law builds upon current sexual abuse and assault prevention programs by adding specific content about trafficking. The law mandates that this material be taught by trained instructors and integrated into standard health education. The policy change applies to all schools participating in the Nonpublic Schools Textbook and Technology Grants Program, effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 468 establishes a 5-day initial limit for emergency mental health evaluation petitions in Maryland, allowing courts to extend them in 5-day increments (up to a 30-day total) for "good cause." It requires courts to include expiration dates on petitions and clarifies when peace officers may use reasonable force to execute them. The bill directly affects individuals seeking emergency evaluations, courts issuing petitions, and law enforcement officers carrying out the process. Key changes standardize timeframes, mandate expiration dates, and specify extension procedures for mental health emergencies.

Maddy summaryHB 1135 amends Maryland's Clean Water Fund to explicitly authorize using its funds for "urban forest management" activities. This change directly affects the Maryland Department of the Environment, which administers the fund, by expanding the list of permitted uses for existing revenue. The bill adds urban forest management as a specific provision under the fund's authorized activities (previously limited to water quality programs, sewage sludge oversight, and erosion control). It does not create new funding but allows current fund resources to support tree planting, canopy preservation, and related urban forestry efforts. The amendment takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1114 renames the Walter Sondheim Jr. Public Service Internship Scholarship Program to the Public Service Internship Scholarship Program and specifies four core internship pathways: the Governor’s Summer Internship Program, Maryland Department of Transportation Fellowship, Shriver Maryland Nonprofit Leadership Internship, and Shriver Public Service Law Fellowship. The bill adds priority criteria for students, requiring residency in Maryland, demonstrated interest in public service, and service in underserved areas (e.g., legal aid for low-income residents, nursing in shortage zones, or transportation roles). It mandates that starting in fiscal year 2027, the Governor must include in the annual budget an appropriation sufficient to double the number of internships funded in the 2024-2025 school year. Administered by the Shriver Center at UMBC, the program provides $2,000-$5,000 scholarships for eligible Maryland college or graduate students seeking public service internships.

Maddy summaryHB 1136 requires Maryland licensing agencies to share the criteria they use for approving or renewing licenses for community-based residential facilities (like group homes) upon request. It also mandates that each agency designate a single point of contact to handle complaints or concerns from the public. This bill directly affects families of facility residents, neighbors living near these facilities, and anyone with a legitimate interest in the licensing process. The law aims to increase transparency and accessibility in how these facilities are regulated, without changing facility standards or operations. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1133 requires the governing bodies of Maryland's cooperative housing corporations, condominiums, and homeowners associations to annually revise their reserve studies by December 31 each year. This update must reflect any changes made to the community's common areas (like roofs, elevators, or pools) during that calendar year. The bill does not change initial study requirements but adds a mandatory annual review process to keep financial planning current. It directly affects all such communities statewide by ensuring their reserve funding plans adapt to yearly physical changes. The change applies to all existing reserve study requirements under Maryland law.

Maddy summaryThis House Joint Resolution (HJ 6) is a symbolic statement by Maryland's General Assembly expressing support for nuclear disarmament efforts. It formally joins 73 other jurisdictions (including seven states and over 75 counties/municipalities) that have passed similar "Back from the Brink" resolutions. The resolution urges Maryland's U.S. Congressional delegation to cosponsor a federal resolution supporting the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and the five key policies of the Back from the Brink initiative (like ending hair-trigger alerts and ending first-use nuclear policies). It also calls on the U.S. President and Senate to endorse the international treaty banning nuclear weapons. As a resolution, it has no legal effect but serves as a formal position statement.

Maddy summaryHB 1115 requires the Governor to include a $5 million annual appropriation for the Maryland Pediatric Cancer Fund in the state budget starting in fiscal year 2027. It also directs the Cigarette Restitution Fund to provide funding to this pediatric cancer research fund, expanding its financial sources. The fund must be used exclusively for pediatric cancer research and administrative costs (limited to 5% of funds), with grants distributed to eligible researchers and institutions. An annual report to the legislature detailing fund usage and promotional efforts is also mandated.

Maddy summaryHB 1137 prohibits the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) from acquiring real property for the Baltimore East-West Corridor Red Line project if the acquisition would force residents to move from their homes. Specifically, it amends Maryland law (Article Transportation, Section 7-718) to ban MTA property acquisitions that cause involuntary residential displacement during planning, construction, or operation of the Red Line. The bill directly affects the MTA and residents in neighborhoods potentially impacted by the Red Line project. It takes effect July 1, 2025, and focuses solely on preventing displacement during property acquisition, not halting the project itself.

Maddy summaryHB 521 amends Maryland's state procurement law to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on antisemitism, adding it to the list of protected characteristics alongside race, religion, gender, and others. The bill requires state agencies to deny contracts to business entities that discriminate against vendors, suppliers, or commercial customers due to antisemitism, using the internationally recognized IHRA definition. This directly affects all businesses bidding for or providing goods/services to the Maryland state government. The law updates existing procurement rules (Sections 19-101 through 19-115) without creating new enforcement mechanisms, aligning state policy with federal standards.