Del. Diana Fennell

Maddy summaryHB 349 requires specific Maryland law enforcement agencies to mandate body-worn cameras for all sworn officers during public duties while in uniform. It applies immediately to the State Police, Anne Arundel County Police, Howard County Police, and Harford County Sheriff’s Office, with all other county agencies required to comply by July 1, 2025. The law specifies officers must wear cameras "regardless of rank" during public interactions, subject to each agency’s existing camera policy. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026, and does not alter existing policies governing camera usage.

Maddy summaryHB 465 (Stop Silencing Survivors Act) creates legal immunity for individuals who in good faith disclose allegations of sexually assaultive behavior (defined as acts meeting Maryland’s criminal law standards for sexual offenses or equivalent offenses). It protects disclosers from liability claims unless proven to have acted with actual malice or intentionally shared false information. The bill also requires courts to award attorney fees and costs to successful defendants in such cases. This directly affects survivors reporting abuse, individuals sharing such information, and courts handling related civil cases. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 540, the "Public Service Company Transparency Act," requires investor-owned electric, gas, and combined gas/electric utilities in Maryland to increase transparency around potential rate changes. Specifically, it mandates that these companies notify customers via bill inserts or email before seeking rate adjustments, provide a detailed 10-year rate trend report showing visual graphs and cost breakdowns, and include a standardized statement on all customer bills explaining the Public Service Commission’s role. Utilities must also distribute annual rate reports to customers and post them online, while the Public Service Commission must publish an annual rate trend report using data from these filings. The bill applies only to investor-owned utilities (excluding municipal or cooperative providers) and takes effect October 1, 2026, with first reports due January 1, 2028.

Maddy summaryHB 384 allows minors who are parents to directly file or respond to child support court cases without needing a legal guardian. It amends Maryland law to override the standard rule requiring minors to have a representative, granting minor parents the legal capacity to initiate or defend child support actions (both temporary and permanent). This change specifically affects minor parents seeking or defending child support for their children. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 500, the Procurement Reform Act of 2025, streamlines Maryland state government purchasing by transferring key authority from the Secretary of General Services to the Chief Procurement Officer. It adjusts dollar thresholds requiring public notice or reporting for procurements, modifies small business preference programs (including expanding eligibility for small business reserves), and adds new requirements for contractors to submit workforce diversity plans for contracts over $500,000. The bill also creates a procurement preference for businesses certified for "good labor practices" and mandates that certain agencies establish working groups to address procurement issues. These changes directly affect state agencies, contractors (especially small businesses), and the Office of Small, Minority, and Women Business Affairs, which gains oversight of new workforce diversity rules.

Maddy summaryHB 1100 requires Maryland's Department of Health, working with the Commission on Health Equity, to create a public data dashboard showing health disparities. The dashboard must display age-adjusted health data broken down by race, ethnicity, and gender, covering specific areas like health insurance access, cardiovascular disease, mental health, cancer, and HIV/AIDS. The Department must update the dashboard at least every 30 days and post the latest version prominently on its website. This law directly affects Maryland residents by making health equity data more accessible to the public, researchers, and health officials.

Maddy summaryHB 1083 requires Maryland's Department of Health to convene a workgroup by December 2025 to create a plan implementing federal child behavioral health screening and treatment rules (EPSDT). The workgroup must include behavioral health professionals, childhood mental health specialists, parents/caregivers, children with behavioral health needs, and advocates. It will develop strategies for screening, using a specific diagnostic tool for children under 5, and expanding community-based services to address early symptoms, routine care, and crisis needs. The plan must align with federal best practices for children’s behavioral health care access. The department must submit the final plan to the legislature by December 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 707 (Eric’s ID Law) requires Maryland’s Motor Vehicle Administration to add a voluntary notation for nonapparent disabilities - such as developmental or intellectual disabilities - on driver’s licenses, ID cards, and moped permits. Applicants can choose to indicate this disability without providing proof or paying extra fees, and the notation will appear on the document’s bottom. The law prohibits the Administration from disclosing this information to insurers or using it to refer applicants to medical boards. It also mandates public outreach to inform people about this option. This directly affects individuals with nonapparent disabilities who apply for or renew these documents.

Maddy summaryHB 506, the Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act, creates the Maryland Leaders in Environmentally Engaged Farming (LEEF) Program to reduce nutrients in the Chesapeake Bay watershed through voluntary farm conservation practices. The bill establishes a special fund for the program, redefines "healthy soils" for existing soil programs, and exempts certain fishing license holders from needing food establishment licenses. Key provisions include tiered recognition for farms adopting conservation practices, requirements for the Department of Environment to authorize water quality trading credits, and new rules for fisheries management and aquaculture leases. The bill directly affects Maryland farmers, state environmental agencies, and fishing industry participants by changing how conservation incentives and regulations are implemented.

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.