Del. Aletheia McCaskill

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a rule that a minor's statement during a custodial interrogation is presumed involuntary and inadmissible in court if law enforcement intentionally used false information to obtain it. It directly affects minors facing juvenile or criminal charges, as their statements could be excluded from proceedings under this presumption. The presumption can be overcome only with clear and convincing evidence proving the statement was voluntary despite the false information. The law applies to all custodial interrogations of minors in Maryland, modifying admissibility standards under Maryland's judicial code.

Maddy summaryHB 572 authorizes Maryland’s Attorney General to sue large fossil fuel companies (with over $1 billion in market capitalization involved in extracting or processing coal, oil, or gas) for unlawful conduct contributing to climate change, including fraud or deception. It creates the Climate Crimes Accountability Fund, financed by settlements or judgments from these lawsuits, to pay for programs addressing specific climate harms like flooding, extreme heat, drought, and waterborne pathogens. The fund is a special, non-lapsing account managed by the state, with interest earnings automatically added to it. All money must directly support climate harm prevention, mitigation, or repair efforts as defined in the bill.

Maddy summaryHB 560 repeals two tax exemptions for data centers in Maryland: one that exempted sales and use tax on qualifying equipment purchases and another that allowed local governments to reduce property tax on data center equipment. This bill directly affects data centers previously eligible for these breaks, requiring them to pay standard sales and use tax on equipment and full property tax on their assets. The repeal removes Sections 11-239 (Tax-General) and 7-248 (Tax-Property) from Maryland law, eliminating the eligibility requirements and certification process for these exemptions. As a result, data centers will no longer qualify for these specific tax benefits under current law.

Maddy summaryHB 345, the "Affordable Solar Act," creates new rules for solar energy systems in Maryland. It allows homeowners to install portable solar systems (max 1,200 watts) without utility approval or fees, while establishing two new credit types: SRECs for smaller residential systems and SREC-IIs for larger distributed or utility-scale projects (over 5MW). The bill requires utilities to procure specific SREC-II credits and redirects certain fees into new escrow accounts instead of the Strategic Energy Investment Fund. These changes directly affect residential solar users, utilities, and solar developers by altering renewable energy compliance standards and financial mechanisms.

Maddy summaryHB 859 requires the Maryland State Department of Education, working with the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, to promote health insurance access for child care professionals. It directs the department to partner with prekindergarten provider hubs, child care associations, and nonprofit organizations to help professionals enroll in health insurance through the Exchange or Medicaid, assist those losing Medicaid coverage, and match health plan options to their budgets. The bill also authorizes child care providers receiving more than two-thirds of their operating funds from government sources to join the State Employee and Retiree Health Program as "satellite organizations," allowing their employees to access state health benefits. This directly affects child care professionals seeking coverage and eligible child care providers seeking to offer group health benefits to staff.

Maddy summaryHB 1222 (Maryland Values Act) requires Maryland correctional facilities to detain and transfer individuals who are not lawfully present in the U.S. and have been convicted of a violent crime to federal immigration authorities within 48 hours when requested. It prohibits law enforcement officers from detaining people or prolonging arrests based on immigration status during routine stops or investigations, and bans transferring individuals to federal immigration authorities except for the defined "covered individuals" (those with violent crime convictions and unlawful presence). The bill also terminates existing immigration enforcement agreements between Maryland entities and federal authorities by a specified deadline. This directly affects state/local correctional facilities, law enforcement officers, and individuals with certain immigration statuses and violent crime convictions.

Maddy summaryHB 936 requires health insurance carriers to provide written notice of cancellation or nonrenewal for small group health plans to affected small employers and employees at least 90 days in advance. Notices must be sent via certified mail (return receipt requested) and electronically, including information about alternative coverage options like COBRA or plans through the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange. The bill applies specifically to small group market plans and takes effect July 1, 2025. It mandates carriers to offer affected employers other available plans and prohibits discrimination based on health status.

Maddy summaryHB 970 prohibits Maryland health insurers, nonprofit health plans, and health maintenance organizations from requiring patients to try less expensive diabetes medications before covering insulin. It directly affects people with type 1, type 2, or gestational diabetes who rely on insulin or similar insulin analogs for treatment. The bill bans "step therapy" or "fail-first" protocols - where insurers force patients to attempt alternative drugs first - regardless of how insurers label these policies. This change takes effect for all new or renewed health insurance policies on or after January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 666 requires Maryland's Medicaid program (Maryland Medical Assistance Program) and most health insurance plans to cover calcium score testing for individuals with specific heart disease risk factors. It directly affects people with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or a family history of early heart disease - requiring coverage if they have at least three of these risk factors. The law mandates coverage starting January 1, 2026, for Medicaid and all health insurance policies issued or renewed after that date. This change applies to insurers, nonprofit health plans, health maintenance organizations, and managed care organizations operating in Maryland. The bill does not alter coverage for other medical services but specifically adds calcium scoring to required benefits.

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.