Del. Chris Tomlinson

Maddy summaryHB 1008 prohibits Maryland state and local governments from imposing a vehicle-miles-traveled (VMT) tax, mileage-based user fees, or tolls based on GPS tracking. It also bans requiring private vehicle owners to install devices that track mileage for tax reporting. The bill specifically repeals provisions allowing VMT taxes and adds new restrictions in tax and transportation laws, effective October 2025. It does not affect existing reciprocal fuel tax agreements under current law. This directly impacts state/local authorities and private vehicle owners by preventing new mileage-based fees or tracking requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 67 requires Maryland local election boards to verify both the voter's signature and a witness's signature on absentee ballot return envelopes before counting the ballot, with exceptions for active-duty military members overseas and their spouses/depedents living overseas. The bill mandates that boards compare the voter's signature against their registration record to confirm authenticity, replacing current processes for signature verification. This directly affects all absentee voters who mail in ballots, except those covered by the military exceptions. The law aims to strengthen ballot security by adding a witness signature requirement and standardized verification steps for all absentee ballots. It takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Maryland's election laws to require voters to show specific proof of identity, such as a government-issued photo ID or a combination of non-government ID and a document like a utility bill, in order to cast a regular ballot. If a voter cannot provide the required identification, the election judge must refer them to vote using a provisional ballot instead. The legislation also strengthens penalties for knowingly voting under a false name and clarifies rules regarding who can assist voters with disabilities or language barriers in the voting booth.

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 630, the Maryland Phone-Free Schools Act, requires all Maryland county school boards to create and implement policies by the 2026-2027 school year that limit student cell phone use during instructional time (excluding lunch). The policy must prohibit phone use and require secure storage, ban social media apps during school hours, and include disciplinary measures like warnings for first violations. Exceptions allow phone use for students with IEPs/504 plans, health monitoring, emergencies, or for educational purposes directed by staff. The bill directly affects public school students and county boards of education across Maryland.

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 740 requires campaigns in Maryland to disclose when campaign materials (like images, audio, or videos) use AI-generated or altered content that misrepresents reality. It applies to candidates, campaign groups, and registered political entities distributing such materials within the state. The bill mandates clear, visible disclosures: for images, a text statement must appear in readable size; for audio, a spoken warning at the start and end; and for videos, on-screen text visible throughout. These disclosures must state that the media was altered to create a false impression of an event, speech, or appearance. The law amends Maryland’s election code to add this transparency requirement for synthetic media in campaign communications.

Maddy summaryHB 456 extends the time victims have to file civil lawsuits for nonsexual child abuse or neglect. It allows claims to be filed up to 20 years after the victim turns 18, or 3 years after the abuser is convicted of a related crime (like child neglect or physical injury). The bill also caps noneconomic damages at $1.5 million per claimant against a single defendant for cases that would have been barred before October 2025. This affects victims seeking compensation and defendants (including government entities) facing liability. The law specifically excludes sexual abuse cases from these provisions.

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.

Maddy summaryHB 187 creates a new felony offense for exploiting government benefits (such as Medicaid, SNAP, Social Security, or veterans' benefits) by knowingly recruiting, harboring, transporting, or obtaining individuals to appropriate their benefits for personal gain or to benefit others. It specifically prohibits using deception, coercion (like threatening harm or financial control), isolation, or exploitation tactics to take these benefits, and also bans profiting from such exploitation or aiding in it. Violations carry penalties of up to 25 years in prison, a $15,000 fine, or both. The law directly affects vulnerable individuals who receive government benefits and targets those who exploit them for financial gain. It takes effect on October 1, 2025.