Del. Sandy Rosenberg

Maddy summaryHB 395 prohibits Maryland state funds from purchasing opioid overdose reversal drugs (like naloxone) from companies that settled opioid lawsuits involving their role in opioid manufacturing, sales, or distribution. It takes effect July 1, 2025, banning such purchases from these entities unless: (1) the company already agreed to provide drugs under a settlement signed before September 1, 2024, or (2) the company has a current contract for drug delivery signed before June 30, 2025. Crucially, any existing contracts under exception (2) cannot be renewed after July 1, 2025. This directly affects state agencies purchasing these drugs and opioid settlement companies.

Maddy summaryHB 1488 extends a specific liquor license for a business at 5700 Falls Road in Baltimore City, allowing the current owner to complete an ownership transfer and renew the license without expiration concerns. The bill directly affects that single business location by overriding standard expiration rules under Maryland law, granting an extension until July 1, 2026. Key provisions include automatically extending the Class B-D-7 license's validity for transfer and renewal purposes, with the law terminating automatically on July 31, 2026. This is a targeted administrative extension, not a broad policy change, affecting only the specified Baltimore City premises.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HB 1040) establishes requirements for financial institutions (banks and credit unions) in Maryland to create and implement community benefit plans. It requires these institutions to develop measurable goals for providing loans, investments, and services to low- and moderate-income individuals and distressed communities when applying for new licenses, branches, or mergers. The bill also mandates annual public reporting on progress toward these goals, creates a Community Reinvestment Fund for community development activities, and establishes oversight by the Commissioner of Financial Regulation. *Note: The bill's title incorrectly references "condominium reserve accounts"; the actual content focuses on financial institutions' community benefit plans, not real property or condominiums.*

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 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 873 modifies Maryland's juvenile court jurisdiction rules for juveniles aged 10 or older accused of stealing a motor vehicle. It specifies that such cases would lose juvenile court jurisdiction and be handled in adult court if the youth had previously participated in an at-risk youth prevention program for prior offenses like gun crimes, violent acts, or similar thefts. The bill directly affects juveniles who commit motor vehicle theft after a prior referral to a diversion program for specified serious offenses. This change is implemented by amending Maryland's Code of Criminal Procedure (§3-8A-03(a)(1)(ii)(F)), effective October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1300 requires Baltimore City clerks to provide public notice before issuing retail tobacco product licenses. Specifically, it mandates that for cigarette and other tobacco product license applications, the clerk must publish the applicant’s name, license purpose, and business location in two Baltimore newspapers twice weekly for two weeks, plus post a notice at the business location for 10 days. This applies only to Baltimore City license applicants seeking to sell tobacco products at retail. The bill updates existing licensing procedures to add this transparency step, directly affecting businesses applying for tobacco retail licenses in Baltimore City. It takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1302 requires housing developers and organizations receiving state funding for new construction, acquisition, or rehabilitation of residential properties to offer housing counseling services to prospective residents. This applies to all projects funded by Maryland's Department of Housing and Community Development. The counseling must be provided by HUD-certified counselors working for HUD-approved agencies, focusing on financial planning and housing goal obstacles. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, directly affecting housing fund recipients and prospective tenants.

Maddy summaryHB 1411 establishes a permanent state fund to provide grants to low-income condominium unit owners who cannot afford increased assessments required to meet reserve account funding standards. The fund targets owners with household incomes at or below 80% of the area median income, prioritizing those aged 65 or older. It is funded through state budget appropriations and interest earnings, and grants cover only the portion of increased assessments that would otherwise fall on the owner - supplementing, not replacing, existing funding. The program requires annual reporting on reserve balances by recipients and is administered by Maryland's Department of Housing and Community Development.

Maddy summaryHB 870 requires tobacco manufacturers not participating in Maryland's Master Settlement Agreement to pay an annual "equity fee" instead of depositing funds into an escrow account. These manufacturers must submit annual certifications to the Attorney General and can contest the fee amount if disputed. The Attorney General may recover legal costs and deposit funds into the Cigarette Restitution Fund. This bill amends Maryland’s existing Tobacco Product Manufacturers Equity Act (Section 16-401) and certification requirements (Section 16-501).