Del. Deni Taveras

Maddy summaryHB 502 establishes the Office of Disability Employment Advancement and Policy within Maryland's Department of Disabilities and creates the "Maryland as a Model Employer Initiative." The bill directly affects state government agencies and employees with disabilities by requiring them to improve hiring, retention, and career advancement opportunities for people with disabilities. Key provisions include collecting employment data from state agencies, providing training on disability-inclusive hiring practices, and reporting annual progress to the Governor and General Assembly starting December 1, 2026. The initiative aims to reduce barriers in state employment through outreach, assistive technology access, and evaluating agency policies. The Office will begin operations on July 1, 2026, with mandatory reporting on outcomes and recommendations for improvement.

Maddy summaryHB 1027 creates a workgroup to study implementing a statewide 3-1-1 nonemergency telephone system in Maryland. The workgroup, composed of 12 members including state agency representatives, county officials, and industry stakeholders, will review existing 3-1-1 services, best practices from other states, and potential solutions for a statewide system. It will develop recommendations on oversight, feasibility, and a virtual portal, reporting findings to the Governor and legislature by November 1, 2025. This bill does not establish the 3-1-1 system itself but directs a study to inform future policy. The workgroup expires June 30, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 601 amends Maryland's Small Business Guaranty Fund program (Section 5-540 of the Economic Development Article) to expand how loan guarantees can be supported. It now allows guarantees to be backed by the State’s full faith and credit *or* by alternative financial instruments like irrevocable letters of credit, treasurer’s checks, escrow accounts, or other instruments promising reimbursement for lender losses. The bill also adds a requirement that the Authority must determine a loan will have "substantial economic impact" before approving a guarantee, considering factors like job creation and loan terms. This directly affects small businesses seeking loans (applicants) and financial institutions providing those loans by making guarantee options more flexible and adding a new review step. The changes take effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 421 amends Maryland's 9-1-1 Trust Fund rules to allow using fund money for costs related to the 9-8-8 suicide prevention hotline that overlap with 9-1-1 operations (like shared software interfaces and joint training). Previously, the fund could not cover *any* costs associated with the 9-8-8 hotline, but this bill removes that blanket prohibition. The change specifically permits funding for "costs related to the operation of the 9-8-8 hotline that may be shared with 9-1-1 activities," while still prohibiting funds from covering costs that *solely* support the hotline. This affects how the 9-1-1 Trust Fund is allocated and used by state and local agencies managing emergency communications systems.

Maddy summaryHB 1468 transfers Maryland's Cyber Maryland Program from the Maryland Technology Development Corporation to the Maryland Department of Labor, restructuring its governance and operations. The bill requires the Program to award competitive grants for IT/OT workforces starting in fiscal year 2026, alters how the Cyber Maryland Fund can be used (including rolling over unused balances), and updates the Program's purpose to focus on creating a cybersecurity talent pipeline to reduce workforce vacancies by July 2026. It also mandates the Program to coordinate with cybersecurity industry groups, develop a statewide workforce plan, and ensure diversity in outcomes. These changes directly affect Maryland employers seeking cybersecurity talent and state workforce development programs.

Maddy summaryHB 957 requires state contractors to ensure a specified percentage of workers on certain projects are Maryland residents and that a certain percentage of work hours are performed by residents. It directs the Maryland Department of Labor to enforce these residency requirements for state procurement contracts. Contractors who violate these rules may be debarred from future state contracts, with debarment triggered by specific violations like criminal convictions related to contracting or failure to meet residency standards. The bill amends existing procurement law and adds new sections (17-6B-01 to 17-6B-05) to establish these requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 579 modifies Maryland's certification process for U Nonimmigrant Status visas (U visas), which help victims of certain crimes access legal immigration status. The bill expands who can certify victim helpfulness to include agencies like child protective services, adult protective services, and the Commission on Civil Rights (not just police). It requires certifying officials to provide specific details about the crime and victim's cooperation when completing Form I-918, Supplement B. This directly affects crime victims seeking U visas and the state agencies that issue these certifications. The bill aligns Maryland's process with federal U visa guidelines to streamline eligibility verification.

Maddy summaryHB 1246 requires Maryland health insurers, nonprofit health plans, and health maintenance organizations to include certain patient discounts, financial assistance, product vouchers, or out-of-pocket expenses paid for prescription drugs when calculating cost-sharing (like copays or deductibles). This applies to covered drugs without a preferred generic equivalent or where prior authorization was needed, but excludes high-deductible health plans. The bill also mandates that providers notifying insureds about the maximum value and expiration date of these discounts. It takes effect January 1, 2026, for all health plans issued or renewed in Maryland after that date. The law directly affects Maryland residents using prescription drug coverage under these health plans.

Maddy summaryHB 1199 creates a new 3-year limited license for internationally trained physicians to practice medicine in Maryland, effective October 1, 2027. It directly affects foreign-trained doctors who meet strict criteria, including holding a WHO-recognized medical degree, completing 2+ years of equivalent postgraduate training, practicing for 5+ years in their home country, passing U.S. medical exams (USMLE Steps 1-3), and residing in Maryland for at least one year. The license cannot be renewed but may lead to full licensure through conditions set by the State Board of Physicians. This provision does not change existing full licensure pathways but adds a temporary option for eligible international physicians.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires licensed hospitals in Maryland to create clinical staffing committees with equal representation from management and employees, including frontline staff such as nurses, patient care technicians, and dietary workers. These committees must develop staffing plans that specify the number of healthcare workers needed on each unit during each shift based on patient volume and acuity levels, with guidelines ideally based on national evidence-based standards. Hospitals must review and update their staffing plans annually by July 1, implement them by January 1, 2026, and publicly post both the plan and daily staffing numbers on patient units and their websites. The bill also establishes a complaint process allowing nurses and other frontline staff to report when staffing assignments do not meet the plan, with committees required to resolve these complaints through a majority vote. State hospitals are exempt from these requirements.