Del. Deni Taveras

Maddy summaryHB 428 prohibits medical providers from placing liens on owner-occupied homes for unpaid medical debt. It requires courts to specify if a money judgment involves medical debt and mandates including the defendant’s primary residence address in such complaints. The bill adds a new provision (§ 14-203.1) stating that liens on homes where owners live cannot be created for medical debt, and courts must remove such illegal liens while potentially awarding damages. This applies prospectively from October 1, 2025, directly affecting Maryland homeowners and medical providers seeking debt collection.

Maddy summaryHB 1045 updates Maryland's health insurance and family planning laws to align with current federal standards. It specifically expands the definition of "family planning providers" to include those who lost federal Title X funding due to service scope (like abortion access or referrals), ensuring Medicaid continues reimbursing them for services. The bill requires the Maryland Medical Assistance Program to maintain access to family planning services for these providers by establishing similar requirements to other providers and prohibiting restrictions on services within a provider's scope of practice. It also clarifies that the Maryland Insurance Commissioner and Civil Rights Commission share enforcement authority over health insurance discrimination.

Maddy summaryHB 436 repeals the 2-year expiration requirement for medical exemptions allowing tinted windows with less than 35% light transmittance in Maryland. It directly affects residents with medical conditions requiring enhanced window tinting (e.g., photosensitivity), who previously needed to renew certifications every two years. The bill removes the time limit from Section 22-406(i)(4)(ii) of the Maryland Annotated Code, allowing exemptions to remain valid as long as the medical need persists. This change simplifies the process for affected drivers by eliminating the need for periodic renewal. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) to automatically renew disability reduced fare program certifications for enrolled individuals who are permanently disabled, eliminating the need for them to reapply annually. It directly affects people with permanent disabilities who use MTA services and currently must manually renew their reduced-fare status each year. The key provision mandates the MTA to implement an automatic renewal process through regulations, streamlining access to discounted transit fares. The law takes effect October 1, 2025, and updates existing MTA regulations under Maryland Code, Transportation Article § 7-718.

Maddy summaryHB 1191 updates Maryland's child custody laws by requiring courts to consider specific factors when determining legal and physical custody. It strengthens protections for children by mandating courts to deny custody or visitation to parents with a history of abuse or neglect, and to prioritize safety arrangements if abuse is suspected. The bill also explicitly bars custody awards to parents convicted of murder (including out-of-state convictions) unless supervised visitation ensures the child's safety. These changes directly affect family courts and parents involved in custody disputes across Maryland. The law focuses on child safety and well-being, adding clear guidelines for judicial decisions without altering existing penalties or funding.

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.

Maddy summaryHB 674 prohibits individuals from intentionally concealing a death by failing to notify emergency services or law enforcement, dismembering or destroying human remains, or burying a dead body. It also bans aiding or abetting these acts. Violating this law is a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison, with sentences served consecutively to other related convictions. The bill directly affects anyone who attempts to hide a death through these specific actions, targeting concealment of death rather than the underlying crime.

Maddy summaryHB 1473 requires Maryland state departments, agencies, and programs to provide equal access to public services for individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP) and disabilities. It mandates these entities to develop language access plans by July 2027, including accommodations like interpreters, sign language, and plain language materials. The Governor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs will oversee compliance, investigate complaints, and receive $400,000 annually starting in fiscal year 2027 to support implementation. The bill expands existing LEP protections to explicitly include disability accommodations under defined "equal access" standards.

Maddy summaryHB 466, the "Health Equality for Service Members Act," expands eligibility for Maryland's health, housing, and occupation programs to include members of the Public Health Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as "veterans" under state law. The bill revises definitions to clarify that "uniformed services" encompasses all such branches - not just the armed forces - and requires health, housing, and licensing laws to apply uniformly to all covered service members. This directly affects Public Health Service and NOAA personnel who previously lacked access to state programs designed for veterans. The law modifies specific sections of Maryland’s health, housing, and occupation codes to ensure consistent coverage across all uniformed services.

Maddy summaryHB 1007, the Genetic Testing Protection Act, prohibits life, disability, and long-term care insurance companies in Maryland from denying coverage, increasing premiums, or limiting benefits based on an applicant’s or policyholder’s genetic test results or requests for genetic testing. It directly affects individuals seeking or holding these insurance policies who undergo genetic testing. The bill blocks insurers from using genetic information (defined as test results not for diagnosis or therapy) to make coverage decisions, while allowing them to review standard medical records or diagnoses. It explicitly excludes routine blood tests, drug screenings, and family medical history (unless tied to genetic testing) from the prohibition. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.