Del. Michele Guyton

Maddy summaryHB 375 (Jay's Law) modifies Maryland's transportation code to allow bicyclists, riders of play vehicles, and unicyclists to ride on sidewalks or sidewalk areas unless prohibited by local ordinance. It requires these riders to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and users of electric personal assistive mobility devices when on sidewalks or in crosswalks. The bill directly affects cyclists, pedestrians, and local governments (which retain authority to ban sidewalk riding). Key provisions amend sections 21-1103 and 21-1202 of Maryland's Annotated Code, taking effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 930 establishes Maryland's Public Health Abortion Grant Program to improve access to abortion care by redirecting excess funds from health insurance coverage. It requires insurance carriers in Maryland to transfer 90% of unused funds from their abortion coverage accounts (after covering patient costs) into a new special fund. This fund will support abortion clinical services, particularly where federal funding is restricted, benefiting individuals seeking abortion care in Maryland. The program mandates annual reporting by insurers and transfers existing excess funds starting in 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1152 requires landlords of residential rental properties in Maryland to publicly disclose their pet policies in specific ways. Landlords must provide a link to the policy on the property’s website, in digital advertisements, and in rental search engine listings, plus include a written summary in rental applications. The disclosure must detail breed/weight restrictions, all fees (upfront, deposits, monthly), pet limits, vaccination requirements, insurance needs, and other landlord-specific rules. This directly affects landlords of residential rentals and their prospective tenants who own pets. The bill amends Maryland’s real property code to implement these transparency requirements, effective October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 475 standardizes definitions across Maryland transportation laws to ensure all uniformed service members (including those in the Public Health Service and NOAA) receive equal treatment under existing transportation benefits. It updates key terms like "Uniformed Services," "Service Member," and "Veteran" to align with federal definitions, replacing narrower state-specific language. This change ensures transportation rules - such as parking privileges or toll exemptions - apply consistently to all eligible service members, not just traditional military branches. The bill does not create new benefits but clarifies how current transportation policies apply to all uniformed services.

Maddy summaryHB 785 prevents cooperative housing corporations, condominium associations, and homeowners associations in Maryland from banning or restricting family child care homes in their governing documents. It prohibits these groups from limiting the number of children served in such homes below the state-approved maximum of eight children. The bill also stops local governments from imposing similar restrictions through ordinances or rules. It allows associations to charge a reasonable annual fee of up to $50 per home and require basic liability insurance, but cannot demand higher insurance amounts than state law requires.

Maddy summaryHB 458 authorizes an annual $350,000 appropriation starting fiscal year 2027 for the University of Maryland, College Park's TerpsEXCEED Program, which serves students with intellectual disabilities. The funding provides dedicated resources to support academic success through course accommodations, peer mentoring, and career development services like internships and job placement. It also covers management of financial aid, self-directed waiver budgets, and cross-agency coordination for each student. This bill establishes a sustainable funding source for the program’s operations and future expansion, directly benefiting enrolled students with intellectual disabilities. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 494, the "Recreational Equality for Service Members Act," removes fees for active military service members and veterans at Maryland state parks, including for vehicles occupied by them. It also ensures fishing licenses in tidal waters don’t expire during active duty deployment and extends fee exemptions to include more service members under updated definitions. The bill broadens the definition of "veteran" to cover members of the Public Health Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Corps, aligning with federal standards. These changes directly affect active service members, veterans, and their families by improving access to recreational opportunities. The law modifies multiple sections of Maryland’s natural resources and state government codes to implement these policy updates.

Maddy summaryHB 699 defines "honorable discharge" for Maryland veterans' state benefits to include discharges that were less than honorable due to specific, protected factors. It directly affects veterans who received such discharges solely because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, or based on disclosures related to those factors (including statements/acts prohibited at the time), or because of PTSD/TBI diagnoses or sexual trauma disclosures made at VA facilities. The bill requires veterans to submit documentation supporting their discharge basis to access state benefits. It amends Maryland law to take effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 600, the "Educational Equality for Service Members Act," updates Maryland's education laws to ensure eligibility for educator certification applies equally to all uniformed services (including National Guard, reserves, and other service branches), not just the traditional armed forces. It revises definitions throughout education statutes to replace "military" with "uniformed services" and clarifies that "veteran" includes those discharged within one year for certification purposes. The bill maintains the existing requirement for active service members, eligible veterans, and their spouses to hold a valid out-of-state license and meet basic qualifications to qualify for expedited certification. This change directly affects service members and veterans seeking teaching careers in Maryland by aligning certification pathways with current service definitions.

Maddy summaryHB 691, the Tax Relief and State Personnel Equality for Service Members Act, redefines "uniformed services" to include the Public Health Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), extending veteran benefits to their members who meet federal veteran criteria. The bill amends Maryland's tax, pension, and personnel laws to apply the same rules to all uniformed services - not just the armed forces - ensuring equal access to state benefits like tax relief and retirement programs. It specifically updates definitions in the Maryland Code to include these service members in state programs previously limited to military veterans. This directly affects service members in non-military uniformed services and state agencies administering veteran benefits.