Del. Elizabeth Embry

Maddy summaryHB 1248 requires large online platforms (with 100,000+ U.S. monthly active users) to establish a clear process for individuals to report and request removal of non-consensual intimate images or videos. Platforms must disable or remove such content within 48 hours of a valid request, identify copies, and prevent new copies from being displayed. The law mandates data logging for legal purposes but excludes email services, broadband providers, and platforms primarily featuring non-user-generated content. It directly affects major social media and content-sharing platforms, not small sites or personal communications services. The bill focuses on creating a standardized removal mechanism for victims of non-consensual image sharing, without altering criminal penalties for the act itself.

Maddy summaryHB 594 modifies Maryland's comparative negligence rules for motor vehicle accident cases involving "vulnerable individuals" (as defined in state law). It prevents a plaintiff from being barred from recovery solely due to their own negligence, unless their negligence was both a direct cause of their injury and greater than all defendants' combined negligence. Damages awarded under this law must be reduced proportionally based on the plaintiff's share of fault. The law applies only to cases arising on or after October 1, 2025, and does not affect past cases.

Maddy summaryHB 1463, the "Transit Safety and Investment Act of 2025," mandates minimum annual funding levels for the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) from the Transportation Trust Fund. It requires the Governor to include specific operating appropriations (increasing by at least 4.4% annually for 2020-2022) and capital appropriations for MTA's "state of good repair needs," starting at $29.1 million for 2020-2022, rising to $502 million for 2024, and setting a baseline of $450 million annually for 2025-2028 and $550 million annually for 2030-2039. The bill directly affects the MTA’s budget, ensuring predictable funding for transit operations and infrastructure maintenance, while explicitly stating these funds are in addition to existing capital projects like the Purple Line. It does not alter MTA’s authority to fund local transit agencies.

Maddy summaryHB 1422 establishes the Maryland Reparations Commission to study and recommend benefits for individuals whose ancestors were enslaved in Maryland or were impacted by historical inequitable government policies (such as housing segregation and redlining during the Jim Crow era). The Commission, composed of 15 members including state officials, historians, community representatives, and public members, will examine U.S. reparations models and potential benefits like monetary compensation, tax rebates, or housing assistance. It must submit a preliminary report by January 2027 and a final report by November 2027 to the Governor and General Assembly. The bill focuses solely on research and recommendations, not on implementing specific reparations.

Maddy summaryHB 365 clarifies that expunging a criminal record does not automatically prevent certain disclosures. It modifies Maryland law to require court orders for accessing expunged records, with limited exceptions: law enforcement may obtain immediate access via ex parte orders (without notifying the individual) only for active criminal investigations where delay would endanger life or property, and copies of records cannot be made. The bill explicitly allows disclosure of de-identified research data and records containing duplicate information already publicly available. This directly affects individuals with expunged records (by limiting unauthorized access), law enforcement (by defining narrow access rules), and court systems (which must process disclosure requests). The law takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 997 allows Maryland counties and municipalities to impose the admissions and amusement tax on the sale of food and beverages at locations where consumption occurs on the premises (such as restaurants, bars, and hotels). The bill sets a maximum tax rate for this tax and prohibits it on certain sales, including venues with only mechanical music or radio/TV, nonprofit events, and some charitable or religious activities. It also clarifies that the overall tax rate cap for local governments does not include this specific food and beverage tax. This bill directly affects local governments that choose to implement this tax and businesses selling food or beverages for on-site consumption.

Maddy summaryHB 816 requires that summaries on petition signature pages and ballot questions be written in plain language, avoiding legal jargon, passive voice, and double negatives. This means including a clear summary of the proposal's purpose and a statement explaining the practical outcome of each voting choice for both petitions and ballots. The bill also updates deadlines for ballot question certification and mandates that election boards make information available for public comment and post details online before general elections. These changes directly affect petition sponsors, ballot question proponents, and election officials in Maryland.

Maddy summaryHB 845 creates a framework for Maryland to establish six community-based overdose and infectious disease prevention programs, approved by the Maryland Department of Health and located in areas with high drug use incidence (two urban, two suburban, two rural). These programs provide supervised consumption sites with health professionals, sterile drug supplies, overdose response (including naloxone), referrals to treatment and testing for HIV/hepatitis, and education on safe drug use and disposal. The bill allows programs to bill insurance for covered services, accept donations/grants, and prohibits arrests or penalties for individuals using these services. It also requires programs to coordinate with existing health services and maintain security while operating within specified locations.

Maddy summaryHB 1014, the "Fair Share for Maryland Act of 2025," makes significant changes to Maryland's tax code affecting residents, businesses, and estates. It adjusts estate tax calculations to maintain Maryland's tax rate despite potential federal changes, imposes a business transportation fee on corporations and pass-through entities, and expands eligibility for the earned income tax credit by lowering income thresholds for individuals without qualifying children. The bill also requires annual inflation adjustments for tax credit phase-out amounts, limits net operating loss deductions, and modifies child tax credit eligibility. These changes directly impact Maryland taxpayers, businesses, and families relying on state tax credits.

Maddy summaryHB 973, the Better Buildings Act of 2025, requires new buildings and major renovations (costing 50%+ of a structure's replacement value) in Maryland to meet all space heating, water heating, and laundry demands without fossil fuels. It mandates energy conservation standards and requires buildings to be "electric- and solar-ready," meaning they must have sufficient electrical capacity, wiring, and physical space for future installation of electric appliances and solar panels. The bill amends Maryland law to adopt these standards through the Department of Labor, aligning with but allowing stricter energy efficiency requirements than the International Energy Conservation Code. This directly affects developers, builders, and property owners constructing or significantly renovating buildings in Maryland.