Del. Caylin Young

Maddy summaryHB 438 establishes the Adult Prison School Board Model Development Committee to create a school board system for correctional education in Maryland's prisons and juvenile facilities. The committee, composed of state officials, correctional education representatives, and experts (including formerly incarcerated individuals and nonprofit advocates), must develop a funding and operational plan by June 2028, examining costs for staff, materials, and budget management. This procedural bill does not enact immediate policy changes but sets a timeline for recommendations to the Governor and legislature. It expires automatically on June 30, 2028, after its two-year study period.

Maddy summaryHB 699 amends Maryland's use of force statute to require police officers to intervene when another officer uses excessive force and to provide basic first aid to individuals injured during police actions. It creates two new misdemeanor offenses: intentionally failing to intervene (penalty: up to 10 years imprisonment) or failing to render first aid and request medical assistance (penalty: up to 5 years imprisonment). The bill directly affects all police officers and supervisors, mandating they sign a "sanctity of life pledge," undergo de-escalation training, document force incidents, and supervisors must review video evidence of use-of-force cases. These provisions aim to enforce accountability during police encounters by codifying specific duties to prevent harm and provide aid.

Maddy summaryHB 414 changes Maryland's jury service rules by removing a disqualification for people currently on parole or probation for crimes punishable by more than one year in prison. Previously, individuals serving such sentences (including parole) were barred from jury duty, but this bill eliminates that specific barrier. The bill maintains disqualifications for crimes involving perjury, witness intimidation, jury intimidation, or certain offenses under Maryland's Criminal Law (Title 8). It also preserves requirements that jurors must understand English to complete qualification forms. This change would allow more people with past convictions to serve on juries, provided they meet all other eligibility criteria.

Maddy summaryHB 155 requires all Maryland law enforcement agencies to adopt policies prohibiting officers from wearing face coverings (like opaque masks or helmets) during routine duties, with specific exceptions. The Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission must create a model policy emphasizing transparency and excluding religious items, medical masks, or safety gear (such as helmets for motorcycle operations). Officers violating this rule face potential fines or loss of civil immunity, but exceptions cover religious garments, medical protection, and occupational safety needs. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 551 repeals specific sections of Maryland's Criminal Law that prohibited certain drug paraphernalia and controlled paraphernalia. It removes prohibitions related to items like syringes, packaging materials, and cutting agents used with controlled substances (excluding cannabis). The bill directly affects individuals who might possess these items under current law, as the repeal eliminates criminal penalties for such possession. This change modifies Maryland's legal definitions and prohibitions regarding drug paraphernalia by deleting the referenced sections from the Annotated Code.

Maddy summaryHB 507 extends the funding period for a grant program supporting nonprofit organizations that provide automotive repair training and reentry services to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals. The bill allows the Governor to appropriate $1 million annually from fiscal years 2026 through 2029 (previously ending in 2028) for qualifying nonprofits that train at least 50 people yearly, provide nationally recognized automotive repair certificates, and achieve a 50% job placement rate for participants. These organizations must report on fund usage, participant numbers, and employment outcomes to the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention. The extension ensures continued access to job training and employment opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals in Maryland.

Maddy summaryHB 594 changes Maryland's sales tax distribution by requiring the state to pay one-third of sales tax revenue collected from retail sales within Baltimore City directly to the city government, instead of sending it to the state general fund. Previously, this revenue flowed to the state, but the bill redirects it to Baltimore for local use. The bill also adjusts the percentage of remaining sales tax revenue sent to Maryland's education fund (starting at 9.2% in 2023 and rising to 12.1% by 2027), with the rest going to the state general fund. This directly affects Baltimore City by increasing its local revenue from in-city retail sales, effective July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 468 establishes a new "Mental Health Care Fund for Children and Youth" in Maryland, funded by a tax on digital social media companies' annual revenues within the state. The bill imposes a tax on qualifying digital social media services (e.g., platforms generating revenue from Maryland users) and directs all collected revenue into this dedicated, non-lapsing fund. The fund must be used exclusively to improve access to mental health care services for children and youth, supplementing existing state funding without replacing it. The Comptroller will distribute the tax revenue to the fund, which the Secretary will administer per the new provisions in the Health and Tax codes.

Maddy summaryHB 367 prevents Maryland health boards from requiring additional English proficiency proof for nursing license applicants who already hold a valid, unrestricted license from another state that requires English proficiency for licensure. It requires boards to maintain an online list of states with comparable English requirements and updates acceptable proof methods (like graduation from English-speaking schools, passing U.S. HHS-approved exams, or holding a multistate nursing license). The bill specifically applies to nurses seeking licensure in Maryland through endorsement, eliminating redundant testing for those qualified in other states. It amends Maryland’s Health Occupations laws to streamline the process for out-of-state nursing license applicants.

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.