Del. Aletheia McCaskill

Maddy summaryHB 1530 requires Maryland's State Department of Education to create a publicly accessible online dashboard by July 1, 2026, displaying searchable data about eligible prekindergarten providers. The dashboard will include monthly-updated information on both public (county school-based) and private licensed providers meeting quality standards, with filters for zip code, child age, care type (home or center-based), operating hours, pricing, quality ratings, and financial aid availability. Providers can opt out of inclusion, and the department must partner with a nonprofit experienced in child care data dashboards. This bill directly affects families seeking pre-K placements and providers by increasing transparency about program options and costs.

Maddy summaryHB 1529 changes how seven members of the Baltimore County Board of Education are elected. Starting with the 2034 election, these members will be elected from seven school board districts that are redrawn to be approximately equal in population after each U.S. census (beginning with the 2030 census), replacing the current system of electing from councilmanic districts. The bill requires the county to submit a redistricting proposal to the Maryland General Assembly within 30 days after the census, and the Assembly must then pass legislation to establish the new districts for the next election cycle. This affects all voters in Baltimore County who will elect school board members under the new district boundaries.

Maddy summaryHB 697 requires Maryland health insurance carriers to submit quarterly reports to the Maryland Insurance Commissioner about their use of artificial intelligence (AI) and automated decision-making systems. Specifically, carriers must report details on AI system deployment (including training data sources, purpose, and bias testing), as well as expanded demographic data on grievances and adverse decisions (broken down by zip code, race, ethnicity, gender, and age). The bill also updates existing reporting rules to include the monetary value of grievance decisions and timeframes for handling cases. These reports will enable the Commissioner to compile annual oversight summaries and identify potential disparities in insurance practices.

Maddy summaryHB 759 requires Baltimore County to create a special fund using fines collected from speed monitoring systems. After covering the costs of operating these systems, any remaining fines must be deposited into the fund. The fund can only be used to pay for traffic calming devices (like speed bumps or crosswalk improvements) on county roads. This ensures fines directly support local road safety projects rather than general county budgets.

Maddy summaryHB 847 establishes a public Domestic Violence Offender Registry in Maryland, requiring individuals convicted three or more times of a domestic violence-related crime (including crimes against current or former intimate partners) to register with their local sheriff upon release, probation, or when not imprisoned. Registrants must provide personal details like their address, photo, and crime descriptions, updating this information annually or within 10 days of moving. The registry, maintained by the state, will be publicly accessible online, by phone, and in person, with registration lasting 15 years from the latest conviction or release, plus 20 additional years for each new conviction. Individuals may seek court exemption if convictions are reversed, pardoned, or under specific court orders.

Maddy summaryHB 965 requires Maryland's Department of Transportation to create a fair method for distributing transit grant funds to counties starting in fiscal year 2027. It mandates that funding be based primarily on each county's population (from the U.S. Census) or another equitable metric the department determines, while also allowing for growth of local transit systems. This bill directly affects all Maryland counties receiving funds through the Locally Operated Transit System Grant Program. The new distribution method replaces the previous approach and takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 985 allows Maryland counties to establish a second administrative charging committee for reviewing police misconduct complaints, if the county governing body determines one committee is insufficient to serve all countywide and local law enforcement agencies. This bill amends existing law by adding a new provision (Section 3-104(a)(1)(II)) that permits counties to authorize a second committee under specific circumstances. The key mechanism requires county officials to formally decide that a single committee cannot adequately handle the volume of cases, without changing the committee composition or disciplinary standards. The bill directly affects county governments and law enforcement agencies by providing administrative flexibility in handling misconduct investigations.

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 1433 expands juvenile court jurisdiction in Maryland by removing previous restrictions that excluded certain serious cases from juvenile court. It directly affects children aged 10 or older accused of specific violent or dangerous offenses (like murder, kidnapping, sexual assault, or firearm-related crimes) that would be treated as adult crimes if committed by an adult. The bill repeals provisions that previously barred juvenile court from handling these cases for children 10+ (for certain crimes) or 16+ (for crimes like murder, kidnapping, or firearm offenses), meaning more serious cases will now be processed in juvenile court unless transferred to criminal court. This change shifts jurisdictional authority without altering the underlying criminal laws or penalties.

Maddy summaryHB 1431 restricts federal immigration enforcement agencies from accessing Maryland state and local government databases without a valid warrant. It requires state/local law enforcement agencies, DMV, and other government units to deny federal requests for personal information, photos, or facial recognition data unless accompanied by a federal or Maryland court warrant. The bill also mandates annual reporting to the legislature on all such federal requests received, including how many were denied or granted with warrants. This directly affects Maryland state agencies, local governments, and federal immigration officers seeking access to these databases.