Rep. Mark Edelson

Maddy summaryHB 1282 prohibits licensed tobacco sellers from advertising or marketing tobacco products, electronic smoking devices, or vaping liquids to anyone under 21 years old. It bans specific tactics like using cartoons, superheroes, food images targeting minors, or symbols associated with youth in advertisements. The bill also restricts advertising in media where 15% or more of the audience is under 21, or within 500 feet of schools. This directly affects retailers and manufacturers licensed to sell tobacco products in Maryland.

Maddy summaryHB 1078 authorizes the Maryland Stadium Authority to review and make recommendations about the Carroll Park Soccer Stadium and Facility in Baltimore City, which serves professional soccer and soccer training. The bill allows the Authority to acquire the stadium site or interest in it, requires lease payments to be transferred to a dedicated fund under specific conditions, and mandates annual reports to state officials. It also sets financing rules for the stadium's development, requires Board of Public Works approval for certain decisions, and establishes the Carroll Park Soccer Stadium and Facility Fund as a permanent, nonlapsing account. This bill directly affects the Authority’s management of this specific facility and its financial operations.

Maddy summaryHB 932 requires the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) to complete construction of its fifth bus division facility by June 30, 2032. The bill directly affects the MTA, mandating it to identify necessary funding in the 2027-2033 Consolidated Transportation Program to ensure the facility is operational by the deadline. Key provisions include a fixed completion date and annual funding planning requirements for the MTA’s capital budget. This bill does not alter service operations but sets a concrete timeline and funding process for a new infrastructure project.

Maddy summaryHB 444 prohibits Maryland state and local governments, including county sheriffs and agencies, from entering into new agreements with federal authorities to enforce civil immigration law. It requires existing agreements to be terminated by July 1, 2026, or immediately upon the law’s effective date (June 1, 2026). The bill specifically targets contracts, memorandums, or agreements that allow local entities to assist in federal immigration enforcement under federal laws like 8 U.S.C. § 1103 or § 1357. This directly affects local law enforcement agencies and government bodies that previously collaborated with federal immigration authorities. The law aims to prevent state/local resources from being used for immigration enforcement under federal programs.

Maddy summaryHB 524 designates September as African Heritage Month in Maryland by requiring the Governor to annually issue a proclamation recognizing African Americans' contributions to the state. The bill directs the Governor to urge educational and cultural organizations to host programs and activities during this month. It updates Maryland's legal code (specifically renumbering sections in Article 7 of the General Provisions) to include this requirement, effective July 1, 2026. This is a procedural recognition measure with no new funding or regulatory changes.

Maddy summaryHB 709 allows the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) to share digital photos or signatures (such as those on driver's licenses) with the Special Investigations Unit of Baltimore City's Department of Housing and Community Development or its successor. The bill explicitly adds this unit to the list of authorized recipients, which previously included courts, criminal justice agencies, and driver license authorities. This change streamlines access to these records for Baltimore City's investigations without altering existing confidentiality rules or public access policies. The bill does not create new requirements or change how MVA records are generally handled.

Maddy summaryHB 1344 requires the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) to study all locally operated transit systems across Maryland. The study must examine each system's current local and state cost shares, ridership numbers, and 10-year cost increase trends, while identifying best practices from other states for funding models and governance structures. The MTA must consult with local governments and transit advocates during this process. The findings and recommendations are due to state leaders by December 1, 2026, to inform future policy decisions about these transit systems.

Maddy summaryHB 1055 requires Maryland’s Department of Health to add Gaucher disease to the state’s mandatory newborn screening program, effective October 1, 2026. This bill directly affects all newborns in Maryland by expanding the list of conditions screened during routine newborn testing, unless parents or guardians object. The key mechanism is amending Maryland’s Health Code (Section 13-111) to explicitly mandate screening for Gaucher disease, which is currently not included in the standard panel. The bill does not alter existing screening protocols or costs but ensures Gaucher disease is screened for alongside other core conditions listed in federal recommendations.

Maddy summaryHB 928 modifies Maryland's requirements for constructing transmission lines over 69,000 volts. It expands the types of transmission lines needing a "certificate of public convenience and necessity" (replacing the previous focus on overhead lines), and requires the Public Service Commission to consider ratepayer costs and environmental impacts when deciding whether to waive this requirement for certain projects. The bill also removes a prior rule that automatically waived certificate requirements for specific overhead lines. This directly affects electric companies, transmission developers, and the Public Service Commission in their approval processes for new or upgraded power lines.

Maddy summaryHB 897 (the "Lower Bills and Local Power Act of 2026") requires electric companies operating high-voltage transmission lines (>69,000 volts) in Maryland to join regional transmission organizations. It mandates new application details for certain utility projects, creates a Solar and Energy Storage Market Stabilization Program within the Maryland Energy Administration, and redirects funds from the Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Fund to provide refunds or credits to residential electricity customers. The bill also requires studies on siting transmission lines and battery storage systems within existing rights-of-way and sets deadlines for the Public Service Commission to review project certificates. These provisions directly affect electric utilities, the Public Service Commission, and residential electricity customers through cost adjustments.