Del. Caylin Young

Maddy summaryHB 122 allows police officers to file complaints about misconduct by other officers with county police accountability boards, expanding the current system that previously only accepted complaints from the public. The bill requires counties to establish these boards, which must hold quarterly meetings with law enforcement, appoint civilian members, and annually report on disciplinary trends and recommend policy improvements. Complaints must include the officer’s name, incident details, and contact information, and must be forwarded to the relevant law enforcement agency within three days. The review process for all complaints must be completed within one year and one day from the date filed.

Maddy summaryHB 186 amends Maryland law to change the composition of trial boards that handle police discipline cases. It requires the chair of these boards to be an attorney meeting specific qualifications (Maryland resident for 5+ years, admitted to practice, and vetted for integrity), replacing the previous requirement for administrative law judges or retired judges. The bill applies to all local police departments (except Baltimore City Police) and statewide/bi-county agencies, maintaining civilian and officer members but altering the attorney appointment process. Key provisions include new residency, citizenship, and professional qualifications for the attorney chair, with appointments made by county executives or the Chief Administrative Law Judge. The changes take effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1055 establishes the Commission on Nondiscrimination in Maryland to study and monitor the state's nondiscrimination laws and their enforcement. The commission, composed of 14 members including legislative appointees, civil rights leaders, and representatives from local commissions and legal advocacy groups, will examine gaps in protections for individuals based on race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, and other categories. It must monitor federal government impacts on civil rights enforcement, identify inconsistencies or deficiencies in current laws, and recommend legislative solutions. The commission will submit annual reports with findings and proposals to the Governor and General Assembly, with the commission itself terminating on June 30, 2029.

Maddy summaryHB 1394, the "Not On Our Dime Act," prohibits Maryland-registered nonprofit organizations (specifically those exempt under IRS 501(c)(3)/(4)) from knowingly providing unauthorized support to Israeli government or citizen activities in occupied territories that violate the Geneva Conventions. It bans actions like transferring Israeli civilians into occupied areas, violence against protected persons (including Palestinians), property destruction, or forced evictions. The bill allows the Maryland Attorney General or harmed individuals to sue violators for at least $1 million in damages, and requires the Secretary of State to remove offending nonprofits from charitable solicitation registries after a legal judgment. The law applies to nonprofits operating in Maryland and takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1513 prohibits school resource officers and school security employees in Maryland public schools from engaging in federal immigration investigation or enforcement activities. It directly affects school security personnel, including law enforcement officers assigned to schools under memorandums of understanding and non-officer security staff. The bill adds Section 7-1508.1 to Maryland’s education code, explicitly banning the use of school security staff for federal immigration enforcement functions under Section 287(g) of federal law. The prohibition takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis House Joint Resolution (HJ 4) is a non-binding ceremonial measure affirming Maryland's support for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) as foundational to the American Dream. It does not create new laws or policies but formally encourages state, local, and federal entities to uphold DEI principles. The resolution directs certified copies to federal leaders including the President, Vice President, and congressional leadership, citing DEI's historical role in civil rights advancements. As a procedural resolution, it has no direct policy impact on constituents or funding mechanisms.

Maddy summaryHB 1346, the PACE Act, protects criminal defendants and juvenile respondents from having their creative works (like music, poetry, art, or film) used as evidence against them in court. The bill requires courts to make four specific findings before admitting such expression: that the creator intended it literally (not figuratively), it directly relates to the specific crime, it addresses disputed facts, and it has unique value not available through other evidence. This applies to all criminal and juvenile proceedings, with an exception allowing creative expression to be used in juvenile cases for mental health evaluations. The law aims to prevent artistic expression from being misinterpreted as confessions or evidence of guilt without strong judicial scrutiny.

Maddy summaryHB 1389 establishes the Maryland Bitcoin Reserve Fund, requiring the State Treasurer to invest money seized from gambling violations (like illegal bookmaking or gaming) into Bitcoin. This fund serves as a state reserve asset, holding seized funds and future investments in Bitcoin, rather than traditional cash reserves. The bill amends Maryland law to redirect these specific seizure proceeds - previously held in interest-bearing accounts - to the new Bitcoin fund, as defined in Section 7-332 of the State Finance and Procurement Article. It does not change gambling laws or create new taxes, focusing solely on how existing seizure funds are managed and invested.

Maddy summaryThis House Joint Resolution (HJ 6) is a symbolic statement by Maryland's General Assembly expressing support for nuclear disarmament efforts. It formally joins 73 other jurisdictions (including seven states and over 75 counties/municipalities) that have passed similar "Back from the Brink" resolutions. The resolution urges Maryland's U.S. Congressional delegation to cosponsor a federal resolution supporting the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and the five key policies of the Back from the Brink initiative (like ending hair-trigger alerts and ending first-use nuclear policies). It also calls on the U.S. President and Senate to endorse the international treaty banning nuclear weapons. As a resolution, it has no legal effect but serves as a formal position statement.

Maddy summaryHB 1000 updates Maryland's criminal law to strengthen protections for human and pet remains in cemeteries. It expands the definition of "permanent cemetery" to include family- and religious organization-owned sites (previously limited to corporations, nonprofits, or state-owned cemeteries) and prohibits tampering with human remains in cemeteries, as well as damaging, trafficking, or transporting human or pet remains without authorization. Violations carry felony penalties: up to 15 years in prison and $30,000 fines for repeat offenses, with civil lawsuits allowed for family members to seek damages. The bill specifically prohibits handling pet remains in cemeteries, except under a defined exception, and increases penalties for offenses against cemetery structures or funerary objects.