Rep. Bob Long

Maddy summaryHB 579 creates a property tax exemption for Baltimore County homeowners aged 65+ who already qualify for the homestead property tax credit. It exempts the first $50,000 of a home's assessed value from state property tax and sets the homestead credit percentage at 100% (instead of the standard 110%) for county and municipal taxes. The bill requires Baltimore County's governing body to implement this credit and specifies that applicants must indicate their age (65+) on the credit application form. This directly affects Baltimore County seniors meeting the existing homestead credit eligibility criteria. The policy changes are limited to Baltimore County and do not alter statewide tax rates or credit calculations for other jurisdictions.

Maddy summaryHB 602 exempts first-time home buyers in Baltimore County from the county's transfer tax when purchasing improved residential property they will occupy as their primary residence. It directly affects individuals who have never owned residential property in Maryland that served as their principal residence before. To qualify, buyers (or their agents) must provide a sworn statement confirming their first-time buyer status and intent to live in the property as their primary home. The exemption takes effect July 1, 2026, and applies to property transfers meeting these specific criteria.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes Maryland's home detention rules by giving the Commissioner of Correction (or their designee) the authority to immediately remove an incarcerated person from home detention for any reason, not just violations. It specifically requires removal if someone violates a condition of their home detention placement. The bill directly affects individuals currently participating in Maryland's home detention programs. The changes take effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 544 prohibits smoking, vaping, or consuming cannabis in the passenger area of a motor vehicle when a minor (under 18) is present. This applies to all occupants, including drivers and passengers, and creates a new misdemeanor offense for violations. Penalties include up to one year in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both. The bill, introduced in January 2026, will take effect on October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 463 prohibits incarcerated individuals serving sentences for specific first-degree murder convictions from earning time-off credits (diminution credits) that reduce their prison terms. It directly affects people convicted of murder under Maryland law, including those convicted of murder involving a child under 16 (under older statutes), repeat child murder offenders, or any first-degree murder (§2-201 of the Criminal Law Article). The bill amends Maryland’s Correctional Services law to block these credits for the specified offenses, effective October 1, 2026. This change applies only to sentences for offenses committed on or after that date, not past cases.

Maddy summaryHB 475, the Juvenile Offender Protection Act, prohibits Maryland's Department of Juvenile Services from hiring or retaining employees convicted of specific serious crimes, including abduction, kidnapping, murder, rape, sexual offenses against minors, and certain assaults. It directly affects individuals seeking or holding jobs with the Department of Juvenile Services who have prior convictions for the listed offenses. The law adds these restrictions to Maryland's Code, with an exception allowing hiring if the conviction was reversed or vacated. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 581 requires Baltimore County election officials to verify both a voter’s signature and a witness signature on absentee ballot envelopes before counting the ballot, with exceptions for active-duty military personnel overseas and their spouses/dependents living overseas. The bill mandates that officials compare voter signatures against registration records to confirm validity. It applies exclusively to Baltimore County absentee ballots and modifies existing election law to enforce these signature requirements. This policy change directly affects all Baltimore County voters requesting absentee ballots, ensuring additional verification steps for ballot processing.

Maddy summaryHB 460 limits solar energy generating station construction in Maryland's priority preservation areas (protected lands established before 2025) to 2% of the total acreage, down from a previous 5% cap. It requires counties to report when this 2% limit is reached and prohibits local zoning laws from blocking solar projects meeting specific criteria. The bill also mandates the Maryland Department of the Environment to study the environmental impact of disposing of solar panels at end-of-life and report findings by September 2027. This directly affects counties, developers, and landowners in priority preservation areas by restricting solar development space and creating new reporting requirements. The policy change aims to balance renewable energy growth with conservation of sensitive lands.

Maddy summaryHB 482, the "Fair Districts for Maryland Act," proposes constitutional changes to overhaul Maryland's redistricting process. It establishes an independent Legislative and Congressional Redistricting and Apportionment Commission to draw both state legislative and congressional districts, replacing the current Governor-led process. The bill mandates new boundary rules requiring districts to respect natural geography, community interests, and geographic compactness, while explicitly prohibiting consideration of voter registration, past voting patterns, or political party affiliation. If the General Assembly fails to adopt a redistricting plan within 45 days of the census, the Commission would submit a plan to the Supreme Court for approval. This directly affects all Maryland residents by changing how voting districts are drawn, aiming to reduce partisan influence in the redistricting process.

Maddy summaryHB 411 increases Maryland's standard income tax deduction amounts for 2026 and beyond. It raises the standard deduction to $4,100 for single filers (from $3,350), $8,200 for heads of household or surviving spouses (from $6,700), and $8,200 for married couples filing jointly (from $6,700). The bill also establishes an automatic annual cost-of-living adjustment starting in 2026, tying future increases to inflation as measured by the IRS formula. This directly affects Maryland residents who claim the standard deduction instead of itemizing deductions on their state tax returns.