Del. Robbyn Lewis

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 334 requires state procurement officers to mandate that all bidders and contractors certify they are not violating the U.S. or Maryland Constitution and will refrain from such actions during the contract period. This applies to every entity seeking state contracts, including affiliates and divisions of bidders. The bill adds specific certification requirements to Maryland’s procurement law (sections 13-212.2 and 13-230), making constitutional compliance a condition for bidding and contract execution. It takes effect October 1, 2026, with no defined scope for what constitutes a constitutional violation. The policy change directly affects all businesses competing for state procurement contracts.

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 511 increases Maryland's catalytic revitalization tax credit rate from 20% to 25% of eligible rehabilitation costs for qualifying projects and raises the annual credit cap from $15 million to $35 million, with annual inflation adjustments based on the Washington metropolitan area's consumer price index. It defines eligible projects as the rehabilitation of historic properties formerly owned by government or large, substantially vacant commercial properties (minimum 250,000 square feet and $50 million investment) in designated economic development areas like Main Street Maryland communities. The credit applies to individuals, nonprofits, and businesses for four consecutive years (for single-phase projects) or in full upon completion (for phased projects). This directly affects property owners and developers seeking to revitalize underutilized commercial or historic properties in targeted communities.

Maddy summaryHB 819 creates a pilot program giving a price preference to bids from businesses using Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) for contracts with specific Maryland entities: the Maryland Stadium Authority, University System of Maryland, Morgan State University, St. Mary’s College, and Baltimore City Community College. It requires contractors to disclose if they use an ESOP in their bid and applies to procurements valued under $80 million. This means state entities must consider ESOP-based bids more favorably during contract awards, while still following standard procurement rules. The bill amends Maryland’s procurement code to establish this preference program as a new section (Subtitle 8) under state finance law.

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 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 798 requires Maryland's Office of Overdose Response (with the Department of Health) to create and maintain a public interactive dashboard tracking how settlement funds from opioid-related lawsuits are spent. The dashboard must show, by state, county, and municipality: payment schedules, past spending, spending plans, funded initiatives, and public hearing details. Local governments receiving these funds must submit required financial data through an online portal to the Department for inclusion on the dashboard. The dashboard will be developed and maintained using existing Opioid Restitution Fund money from the state budget, not new appropriations. This bill focuses solely on transparency, with no new policy changes or funding mechanisms.

Maddy summaryHB 1315 requires Maryland health insurers to cover all childhood and adolescent immunizations recommended by either the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices or the American Academy of Pediatrics' schedule, without deductibles. It directly affects health insurers offering family coverage in Maryland, mandating these vaccines as part of the required "minimum package of child wellness services." The bill expands current coverage to include all recommended vaccines under these two authoritative sources, rather than a limited list. This policy change takes effect January 1, 2026, for all new or renewed policies.