Del. Regina Boyce

Maddy summaryHB 1393 requires recreational youth sports programs (for athletes under 19, excluding high school-level programs) to maintain an annual registry of all coaches, volunteers, and staff. This registry must include valid ID, background checks (either state criminal history or commercial screening), signed safety acknowledgments, and proof of annual training in concussion awareness, heat illness, and child safety. The bill also mandates that parents or guardians sign an acknowledgment confirming they received information about head injuries, heat illness, and the program’s removal/return-to-play policies. Additionally, programs must post their removal/return-to-play policies on their website if available.

Maddy summaryHB 55 allows individuals with completed misdemeanor or felony sentences to petition courts for expungement (clearing criminal records) at any time if they demonstrate "good cause." Courts must consider factors like the crime's nature, the person's rehabilitation, public safety risk, and how the conviction impacts employment, housing, and education. If denied, the decision cannot be appealed, and the person cannot reapply for five years for the same conviction. This bill directly affects people with past convictions seeking to improve their job prospects, housing options, and access to public assistance.

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 648 establishes the BRIDGE Program within Maryland's Department of Commerce to provide grants to qualifying business incubators. The program targets incubators that primarily serve businesses in Maryland, require formal incubator programs for early-stage companies, and have staff trained to support socially and economically disadvantaged entrepreneurs. Grants cover planning, facility improvements, equipment, and operating costs (with limits on covering more than 25% of operating expenses after the first year), ranging from $100,000 to $400,000 per fiscal year. Preference is given to incubators led by disadvantaged individuals, located in underserved communities or designated zones, or focused on supporting startups led by disadvantaged entrepreneurs.

Maddy summaryHB 650 establishes the Maryland Fair and Agricultural Education Promise Fund, a special non-lapsing fund to provide annual grants for agricultural fairs and education. The bill directs $825,000 to the Maryland Agricultural Fair Board, $75,000 to the Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation, and $550,000 to the Maryland State Fair and Agricultural Society for fair promotion, statewide education, and youth programs like 4-H and FFA. It replaces previous funding from the horse racing special fund by requiring a portion of state lottery proceeds (before General Fund allocation) to fund the new Promise Fund. Interest earnings from the fund must be credited back to it, and the fund is administered by the Comptroller with grants paid annually.

Maddy summaryHB 635 requires police officers to document the specific reason for every traffic stop (e.g., speeding, broken taillight) on the citation or police report. It limits enforcement of certain vehicle law violations (like expired registration) to "secondary" actions only - officers must first stop a driver for a primary violation (e.g., speeding) before citing a secondary issue. If an officer fails to document the reason or violates the secondary enforcement rule, evidence from the stop may be excluded in court, and the officer could face administrative discipline. This bill directly affects police procedures during traffic stops and the admissibility of evidence in legal cases.

Maddy summaryHB 83 shifts authority for setting Maryland's tire recycling fee from the Board of Public Works to the Department of the Environment. It requires the Department to set the fee at $1 per new tire starting January 1, 2026, with annual inflation adjustments based on the Consumer Price Index (capped at $2 per tire). Tire dealers must collect and remit the fee on the first sale of new tires (including those sold with vehicles) and submit payments to the state, with fees deposited into the Used Tire Cleanup and Recycling Fund. The bill directly affects tire dealers (who pay the fee) and the state fund (which receives the collected fees), while prohibiting local governments from imposing additional tire-related charges.

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.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Melanie Nicholle Diaz Fire Safety Act, establishes new fire safety requirements for residential rental high-rise buildings in Maryland to improve occupant protection. It mandates the installation of specific smoke detectors in public corridors of these buildings starting July 1, 2024, and requires owners to post notices if their buildings lack complete automatic sprinkler systems. The legislation also ensures that tenants who are deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing receive appropriate notification appliances without having to pay for them or provide documentation. Additionally, the bill creates a workgroup to develop best practices for pre-1974 high-rise apartments and allows local governments to offer property tax credits for buildings that make qualifying fire safety improvements.

Maddy summaryThis Maryland bill updates regulations for assisted living managers, primarily by extending the deadline for mandatory licensing and modifying training requirements. It allows managers to delay full licensure until July 1, 2026, while also reducing the required training hours from 80 to a mix of in-person and virtual options, provided the training includes direct faculty interaction. The legislation also clarifies rules for interim managers who step in temporarily and adjusts the composition of the State Board of Long-Term Care Administrators to include more assisted living managers. Additionally, the bill maintains penalties for facilities that fail to employ qualified managers and ensures approved training courses remain affordable and accessible.