Del. Julian Ivey

Maddy summaryHB 667 establishes November 1 as a permanent state legal holiday and employee holiday in Maryland, replacing the current requirement that the Governor annually proclaim the date. The bill repeals Section 7-420 (which mandated the Governor’s yearly proclamation for Maryland Emancipation Day) and updates two key sections of Maryland law to include November 1 as a fixed holiday for state employees and government operations. This means state offices will close and employees will receive the day off every year on November 1, without needing a new gubernatorial order each year. The change takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 385 requires businesses in Maryland using digital point-of-sale systems that automatically prompt customers to leave a tip to: (1) clearly disclose who receives the tip (e.g., employees or the business), and (2) set the default tip amount to $0. This applies to restaurants, bars, and similar service businesses processing card payments. Violating these requirements would be considered an unfair, deceptive, or abusive trade practice under Maryland law, subject to enforcement by the Division of Consumer Protection. The law takes effect October 1, 2025, with the new requirements applying starting January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 1306 requires Maryland’s Department of Health to establish three specialized clinics for sickle cell disease treatment in Montgomery County, Harford County, and an Eastern Shore county by 2027. These clinics must operate under a hub-and-spoke model, providing comprehensive care including pain management, mental health services, genetic counseling, and telehealth access to specialists, while addressing social barriers like transportation and housing. The bill also creates a scholarship program for medical residents specializing in hematology with a sickle cell focus, requiring them to practice in Maryland after training. Funding of $6 million for fiscal year 2027 must cover clinic operations, staffing, social support services, and prioritizes hiring specialists and addressing health disparities. The Department must annually report on clinic outcomes, patient access, and efforts to reduce health disparities.

Maddy summaryHB 1030 requires ride-hailing companies (like Uber or Lyft) to create clear written policies for suspending or removing drivers, with specific reasons and a formal appeal process. Companies can only suspend drivers for "egregious misconduct," defined as immediate safety threats (e.g., violence) or intentional economic harm to passengers or the company. Drivers must receive written notice of suspension and details about their appeal rights before being removed from the platform. This law standardizes how companies handle driver deactivations, ensuring consistency with existing definitions of serious violations.

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 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 697 requires Maryland health insurance carriers to submit quarterly reports to the Maryland Insurance Commissioner about their use of artificial intelligence (AI) and automated decision-making systems. Specifically, carriers must report details on AI system deployment (including training data sources, purpose, and bias testing), as well as expanded demographic data on grievances and adverse decisions (broken down by zip code, race, ethnicity, gender, and age). The bill also updates existing reporting rules to include the monetary value of grievance decisions and timeframes for handling cases. These reports will enable the Commissioner to compile annual oversight summaries and identify potential disparities in insurance practices.

Maddy summaryHB 687, the Community-Oriented Policing Act, prohibits Maryland law enforcement agencies from setting or using arrest, citation, or warrant quotas for officer evaluations, promotions, or discipline. The bill specifically bans agencies from requiring officers to meet specific activity targets (like a set number of arrests) or using those numbers as the primary factor in personnel decisions. It also clarifies that agencies may still use quantitative data for management purposes, as long as it doesn’t dictate officer evaluations. The law amends Maryland’s Public Safety Code and takes effect October 1, 2025. It directly affects all local and state law enforcement agencies and their officers in Maryland.

Maddy summaryHB 682 prohibits most state and local law enforcement agencies in Maryland from using persistent aerial surveillance - defined as recording video or images over time to track a person’s movements - to gather evidence in criminal investigations. The bill directly affects police departments, sheriffs’ offices, and other public safety units by restricting this surveillance method unless specific exceptions apply. These exceptions include obtaining a valid search warrant, executing an arrest warrant, conducting active search/rescue operations, or responding to imminent threats like terrorist attacks with DHS authorization. The law takes effect October 1, 2025, and amends Maryland’s Public Safety and Transportation codes to implement these restrictions.

Maddy summaryHB 1431 restricts federal immigration enforcement agencies from accessing Maryland state and local government databases without a valid warrant. It requires state/local law enforcement agencies, DMV, and other government units to deny federal requests for personal information, photos, or facial recognition data unless accompanied by a federal or Maryland court warrant. The bill also mandates annual reporting to the legislature on all such federal requests received, including how many were denied or granted with warrants. This directly affects Maryland state agencies, local governments, and federal immigration officers seeking access to these databases.