Del. April Rose

Maddy summaryHB 1005 modifies Maryland's income tax code to exclude tips or gratuities from taxable income for workers in specific service industries. It directly affects employees in food service facilities (like restaurants), businesses serving alcohol, hotels, and providers of passenger-for-hire or taxicab services. The bill adds a new provision (Section 10-207(qq)) defining these industries and specifying that tips received in these roles are subtracted from federal adjusted gross income for Maryland tax purposes. This change takes effect July 1, 2025, applying to tax years beginning after December 31, 2024. The policy removes tips from taxable income for these workers, reducing their Maryland income tax liability.

Maddy summaryHB 800 modifies Maryland's income tax code to provide a tax deduction for military retirement income. It sets a $12,500 annual deduction for military retirees under age 55, while those aged 55 or older receive a $20,000 deduction. This change directly affects Maryland residents who receive military retirement income and are under 55. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, for tax years beginning after December 31, 2024.

Maddy summaryHB 650 establishes the Maryland Fair and Agricultural Education Promise Fund, a special non-lapsing fund to provide annual grants for agricultural fairs and education. The bill directs $825,000 to the Maryland Agricultural Fair Board, $75,000 to the Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation, and $550,000 to the Maryland State Fair and Agricultural Society for fair promotion, statewide education, and youth programs like 4-H and FFA. It replaces previous funding from the horse racing special fund by requiring a portion of state lottery proceeds (before General Fund allocation) to fund the new Promise Fund. Interest earnings from the fund must be credited back to it, and the fund is administered by the Comptroller with grants paid annually.

Maddy summaryHB 766 amends Maryland's Wildlife Advisory Commission membership rules to require that the member representing the farming community be appointed from a list of candidates provided exclusively by the Maryland Farm Bureau. Previously, the Governor could solicit nominations from any farming community groups, but this bill specifies the Farm Bureau as the sole source for that seat. The bill does not change the total membership (10 members), the other representation categories (hunting, wildlife preservation, and passive recreation), or the academic researcher appointment. This change ensures the Farm Bureau directly influences the selection of its designated representative on the commission.

Maddy summaryHB 631 prohibits the State or its political subdivisions from using eminent domain to take privately owned property subject to a permanent agricultural or conservation easement. This directly affects landowners who hold such easements, protecting their property from forced acquisition for public projects. The bill amends Maryland’s real property law (specifically Section 12-101(b)(2) of the Annotated Code) to add this explicit prohibition. It does not apply to existing legal processes for state roads or Baltimore City. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 739 requires local governments to approve solar energy projects before the state can approve them. The bill prohibits the Public Service Commission from granting state approval for a solar generating station unless every county or city where the project is proposed has provided written consent. This directly affects solar developers, who must now secure local written approvals, and local governments, which gain formal authority to approve or deny projects. The key provision mandates that local consent is a mandatory step in the state approval process for solar energy facilities.

Maddy summaryHB 742 prohibits solar energy developers from using eminent domain to acquire private land for constructing solar generating stations. The bill amends Maryland's public utilities code (specifically sections 7-207, 7-207.1, 7-207.2, and 7-208) to explicitly state that no person may exercise eminent domain rights for solar energy projects. This directly affects solar energy companies seeking to build facilities without landowner consent. The law takes effect October 1, 2025, and removes an existing legal pathway for solar developers to compel land purchases.

Maddy summaryHB 695 repeals a requirement that Maryland's motor fuel tax rates automatically increase annually based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), changing how fuel tax revenue is calculated. The bill bans vehicle-miles-traveled (VMT) taxes and similar fees, including requiring devices to track mileage in private vehicles. It also sets specific farebox recovery targets for the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), limits when MTA can raise fares, and removes public hearing requirements for certain fare changes. This directly affects drivers (through fuel tax changes), MTA (via fare rules), and local governments (by prohibiting new transportation fees). The bill modifies existing tax and transportation laws without adding new funding mechanisms.

Maddy summaryHB 613 requires Maryland courts to remove identifying information (like names, addresses, or phone numbers) from court documents in sexual assault cases, unless a judge finds "good cause" to disclose it. It specifically protects victims of sexual assault (defined as alleged victims of certain crimes under Maryland's Criminal Law Article) by mandating redaction of their personal details from all filings, including existing case documents, upon written request. The law also requires the Supreme Court of Maryland to establish rules for implementing this redaction process. This applies to both new court filings and existing cases in criminal or juvenile delinquency proceedings involving sexual assault. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 640 requires Maryland's Public Service Commission to consider how proposed overhead transmission line projects affect properties already protected by conservation easements during certificate approval reviews. It mandates applicants to evaluate alternative routes that avoid these easements or minimize impacts on them, and to document route choices. This directly affects landowners with conservation easements near planned transmission lines and utilities seeking project approvals. The bill updates existing review criteria (Section 7-207(f)) to include this new requirement, effective October 1, 2025.