Del. Elizabeth Embry

Maddy summaryHB 834 prohibits commercial egg producers with more than 5,000 hens from confining egg-laying hens in small cage systems (like battery cages) after a specific date, requiring them to use cage-free housing systems that provide roaming space and natural behavior enrichments. It also bans businesses from selling shell eggs or egg products derived from non-compliant farms after the same date. Small farms producing under 5,000 hens annually are exempt from these requirements. The law applies to all commercial egg production and sales within Maryland, with exceptions for medical research, veterinary care, and agricultural exhibitions.

Maddy summaryHB 434 protects free speech by making it easier to dismiss "SLAPP suits" (strategic lawsuits meant to silence critics). It defines a SLAPP suit as one brought in bad faith against someone who spoke publicly about government actions or public issues (like criticizing a policy or reporting to officials), with the plaintiff now required to prove the lawsuit has "substantial justification." If a defendant successfully moves to dismiss a SLAPP suit, they can recover court costs and attorney fees. This directly affects citizens, journalists, and activists who speak publicly on government matters, ensuring their free speech rights aren’t chilled by costly, meritless lawsuits.

Maddy summaryHB 613 requires Maryland courts to remove identifying information (like names, addresses, or phone numbers) from court documents in sexual assault cases, unless a judge finds "good cause" to disclose it. It specifically protects victims of sexual assault (defined as alleged victims of certain crimes under Maryland's Criminal Law Article) by mandating redaction of their personal details from all filings, including existing case documents, upon written request. The law also requires the Supreme Court of Maryland to establish rules for implementing this redaction process. This applies to both new court filings and existing cases in criminal or juvenile delinquency proceedings involving sexual assault. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 629, the "Stop Silencing Survivors Act," creates legal immunity for individuals who in good faith disclose information about alleged sexually assaultive behavior. It directly affects survivors, witnesses, and others reporting such allegations (e.g., in workplaces, schools, or community settings) by shielding them from civil liability for truthful disclosures. Key provisions include presuming good faith unless proven otherwise with clear evidence of actual malice or intentional false information, and requiring courts to award attorney fees to those successfully defending such disclosures. The bill defines "sexually assaultive behavior" to include specific criminal offenses under Maryland law and equivalent out-of-state or federal laws. It takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 556 decriminalizes the personal use of drug paraphernalia (such as syringes, capsules, or containers) for administering controlled substances, removing criminal penalties for this activity. The bill repeals current laws that treated possessing or using such items for injecting, ingesting, or introducing drugs into the body as a misdemeanor. This change eliminates fines and potential jail time for first-time offenses related to personal drug administration. The bill does not affect penalties for using paraphernalia in connection with manufacturing, distributing, or dispensing drugs.

Maddy summaryHB 340 authorizes Maryland's Attorney General to sue fossil fuel companies (specifically publicly traded entities deriving ≥50% revenue from coal/oil/gas with >$1 billion market cap) for climate-related harms caused by deceptive or unlawful actions. It creates a Climate Change Restitution Fund to pay for programs addressing climate impacts like flooding, heat islands, drought, and disease spread, funded by settlements/judgments from such lawsuits. The fund is nonlapsing and managed by the Department of Budget and Management, with interest earnings credited back to it. An Advisory Council advises on fund distribution to the Governor, Attorney General, and legislature.

Maddy summaryHB 341 allows Baltimore City or Maryland counties/municipalities to grant property tax credits to property owners who convert retail service stations (like gas stations) to other retail, residential, or mixed uses. The credit specifically helps cover costs for removing underground storage tanks and cleaning contamination. Local governments can set credit terms, and the state will reimburse them 50% of the lost property tax revenue from the credit. This bill directly affects property owners and local governments managing such conversions, focusing on practical cleanup costs rather than new development.

Maddy summaryHB 366 modifies Maryland's juvenile record confidentiality law to allow the Attorney General to publicly disclose a child's name and age in specific cases. It permits this disclosure only during independent investigations into police-involved incidents causing a child's death or injury, and **only with the parent or guardian's explicit consent**. This change directly affects children involved in such incidents and their families, as it creates a new exception to the general rule that keeps juvenile police records confidential. The bill does not alter existing confidentiality protections for other juvenile records, such as those related to missing children or court warrants. The provision takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Maryland's estate administration laws by requiring county and Baltimore City registers of wills to create a single, centralized website for publishing legal notices. It directly affects personal representatives managing estates, foreign personal representatives handling out-of-state assets in Maryland, and individuals interested in these estates. The key changes replace traditional newspaper advertisements with online notices and mandate that heirs and legatees receive digital copies of these notices within five days. Additionally, the bill simplifies the process for foreign personal representatives by removing the requirement to file a separate certification while ensuring they still publish necessary details about the estate and claim deadlines on the new website.

Maddy summaryHB 531 repeals the requirement for individuals on parole in Maryland to pay a monthly supervision fee of $50 and removes the authorization for them to cover the costs of drug and alcohol testing. This change directly affects people supervised by the Division of Parole and Probation, eliminating these specific financial obligations that were previously enforced as conditions of their release. The bill takes effect on October 1, 2024, and does not alter other existing court costs, fines, or the authority of the parole commission to revoke supervision for non-compliance with other rules.