Del. Sean Stinnett

Maddy summaryHB 853 (Maryland Second Look Act) allows individuals serving prison sentences of 20+ years to petition courts for sentence reduction under specific conditions. To qualify, petitioners must have served at least 20 years and wait 5 years after any prior petition, with a maximum of three petitions total. Courts must hold hearings considering factors like rehabilitation, victim input, the individual’s age at the offense, and safety risks, and must publicly state their reasons for granting or denying relief. The law applies retroactively to eligible individuals already serving long sentences.

Maddy summaryHB 438 (Buddy's Law) increases the maximum compensatory damages for pet owners when someone negligently causes injury or death to their domesticated pet. It raises the cap from $10,000 to $25,000, covering costs like veterinary care and the pet’s fair market value before death. The law specifically applies to domesticated pets (excluding livestock) and affects owners in Maryland whose pets are harmed by negligence. The bill amends Maryland’s tort law and takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 293 allows courts in Maryland to order child victims of abuse to testify via closed-circuit TV outside the courtroom when their presence with the defendant would cause serious emotional distress that prevents them from communicating. This applies to cases under Maryland’s Family Law or Criminal Law regarding child abuse, but only if the defendant has legal representation. The bill specifies that defendants cannot be in the same room as the child during testimony, and limits who may be present (attorneys, therapists, or others supporting the child). It also prohibits two-way video that would let the child see or hear the defendant during testimony. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1440 requires Maryland circuit courthouses built or renovated after October 1, 2025, to provide private lactation rooms with specific amenities (lockable doors, sink, refrigerator, and electrical outlet for breast pumps). It also allows breastfeeding mothers and individuals with legal custody of children under age 4 requiring continuous care during court hours to be excused from jury service. The bill amends Maryland law to mandate these accommodations and establishes clear criteria for jury excusal, limiting excusals to twice per person unless extraordinary circumstances exist. These changes directly affect parents, nursing individuals, and court operations.

Maddy summaryHB 260 modifies Maryland's criminal penalties for drug paraphernalia by reducing fines and jail terms for most violations. It lowers maximum penalties for first-time offenses (to $500 fines) and subsequent violations (to 1 year imprisonment or $1,000 fines), removes certain possession prohibitions, and clarifies that items like scales or strainers near paraphernalia may indicate illegal use. The bill directly affects individuals using, possessing, or selling drug paraphernalia (e.g., pipes, syringes) to administer controlled substances. It also increases penalties for selling such items to minors (up to 8 years in prison or $15,000 fine). The changes take effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 579 modifies Maryland's certification process for U Nonimmigrant Status visas (U visas), which help victims of certain crimes access legal immigration status. The bill expands who can certify victim helpfulness to include agencies like child protective services, adult protective services, and the Commission on Civil Rights (not just police). It requires certifying officials to provide specific details about the crime and victim's cooperation when completing Form I-918, Supplement B. This directly affects crime victims seeking U visas and the state agencies that issue these certifications. The bill aligns Maryland's process with federal U visa guidelines to streamline eligibility verification.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires boaters involved in accidents causing injury or death to stop near the scene, return to remain there until assisting others, and provide their name, address, and vessel ID to injured persons. It defines "serious bodily injury" (e.g., risk of death, permanent disfigurement) and sets penalties: up to 1 year/$3,000 for injury, 5 years/$5,000 for death, or 10 years/$10,000 if the operator knew injury/death was likely. Boaters must also report serious accidents (death, disappearance, injury requiring medical care beyond first aid) within 48 hours to Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources. The law applies to all vessel operators in Maryland waters who cause accidents meeting these injury/death thresholds.

Maddy summaryHB 5 updates Maryland's criminal law to explicitly include artificial intelligence-generated images in the definition of "computer-generated image" under child pornography statutes. This means AI-created images that appear indistinguishable from real child abuse material - such as those adapted to look like actual minors - will now be covered under existing laws prohibiting possession or viewing of such content. The bill directly affects individuals who create, possess, or access these AI-generated images, applying the same penalties (up to 5 years in jail or $2,500 fine for misdemeanors) as real child pornography. It maintains exceptions for artistic works like drawings or cartoons and parental photos of children in non-exploitative contexts. The law aims to close a legal gap as AI technology advances, ensuring existing protections apply to digitally generated content.

Maddy summaryHB 408 establishes a Prince George’s County Coordinated Youth Violence Review and Response Team to address violence against youth under 18. The team, made up of county officials including the police chief, health officer, school superintendent, and social services leaders, will use confidential case management to prevent violence. It allows the team to access certain protected police records about youth (normally kept confidential) for prevention efforts, while requiring strict confidentiality and limiting disclosure. This directly affects youth in Prince George’s County who live there, attend local schools, or participate in county youth programs.

Maddy summaryHB 623 requires Maryland counties and Baltimore City to create a centralized website where registers of wills will publish estate-related notices instead of using newspapers. This affects personal representatives (both domestic and foreign), heirs, and creditors who must receive notices about estate appointments, probate requests, and claims deadlines. The bill replaces old newspaper publication rules with website notices, mandating specific content like the foreign representative’s details and claim deadlines, and eliminates the need for foreign representatives to record certifications with the register. It directly changes how notices are delivered, shifting from physical newspapers to a single online platform for all counties.