Rep. Bob Long

Maddy summaryHB 403 requires Maryland correctional facilities to transfer undocumented immigrants serving sentences for certain crimes to U.S. Homeland Security (DHS) under specific circumstances. It directly affects undocumented immigrants incarcerated in Maryland facilities who have been convicted of or suspected of: terrorism/espionage, gang-related offenses under federal law, gang participation as a minor, or aggravated felonies. The bill mandates transfer if the individual meets any of these four criteria, creating a legal mechanism for state-federal coordination. It takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 653 mandates that Maryland correctional facilities must transfer undocumented immigrants serving sentences for specific offenses to U.S. Homeland Security. It directly affects undocumented immigrants incarcerated in Maryland who are convicted of terrorism/espionage threats, gang-related crimes (under federal definitions), aggravated felonies, or certain sexual offenses requiring registration. The bill requires transfer if an individual meets any of five specified conditions, including active gang participation or conviction for an aggravated felony. The law takes effect October 1, 2025, and adds these requirements to Maryland's Correctional Services code.

Maddy summaryHB 1192 requires Maryland's Comptroller and State Tax Department to regularly check if nonprofits with state tax exemptions have been federally designated as supporting terrorist organizations under U.S. law. If confirmed, it mandates rescinding their income, sales, use, and property tax exemptions. Nonprofits must be notified in writing with 90 days to provide evidence to prevent rescission, and can appeal to the Maryland Tax Court. Reinstatement is possible only if the rescission was erroneous or based on new evidence. This directly affects Maryland nonprofits currently holding tax-exempt status who have been found by federal authorities to provide material support to designated terrorist groups.

Maddy summaryHB 81 requires that when the government takes farm or agricultural land for public projects (like infrastructure), the property owner receives compensation based on 350% of the highest appraisal value of the land, rather than standard fair market value. This directly affects Maryland farmers and landowners whose property is condemned for public use, including cases involving transmission lines. The bill changes how "fair market value" is calculated in condemnation proceedings for qualifying agricultural property, as defined by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation. The law applies retroactively to all condemnation cases involving farm land since its effective date.

Maddy summaryHB 734, the Real Time for Violent Crime Act, prohibits incarcerated individuals convicted of first- or second-degree murder from earning sentence reduction credits (diminution credits) that shorten their prison time. It also limits sentence reductions for violent crimes to no more than 10% of the total sentence for those convicted of crimes of violence (as defined in Maryland law), and restricts judges from granting pretrial release to defendants charged with violent crimes if they have pending charges or recent convictions for specific violent offenses. The bill directly affects people serving sentences for murder or violent crimes in Maryland correctional facilities and changes how courts handle sentence reductions and pretrial releases for these cases.

Maddy summaryHB 759 requires Baltimore County to create a special fund using fines collected from speed monitoring systems. After covering the costs of operating these systems, any remaining fines must be deposited into the fund. The fund can only be used to pay for traffic calming devices (like speed bumps or crosswalk improvements) on county roads. This ensures fines directly support local road safety projects rather than general county budgets.

Maddy summaryHB 1337 (Maryland) amends property condemnation law to allow business or farm owners whose property is taken through eminent domain to claim compensation for lost profits under specific conditions. It directly affects business owners and farm operators on property acquired by government entities for public projects. The bill requires owners to prove the profit loss was directly caused by the taking, couldn't be prevented by relocation or reasonable steps, and isn't covered elsewhere. Damages must be calculated using standard accounting practices, preventing duplicate payments for the same loss. This change takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 732 increases the required classroom teaching time for Maryland public school teachers on career ladder levels one, two, or three from 60% to 80% of their working time. This change directly affects teachers who are certified but not yet at the highest career levels (such as those pursuing a master’s degree or National Board Certification). The bill specifies that the remaining 20% of their time must be spent on activities like improving instruction, tutoring students, or participating in professional development. The policy takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1214 creates a property tax credit for first-time homebuyers in Maryland by changing how the taxable assessment is calculated for their first year of ownership. It defines a "first-time homebuyer" as someone who has never owned property in any state, and specifies that for their first taxable year, the assessment used to calculate the credit will be based on the previous owner’s assessment (adjusted for revaluation), not the new owner’s higher assessment. This prevents immediate tax increases when purchasing a home, ensuring the credit applies automatically from the date they gain legal ownership. The bill directly affects first-time homebuyers purchasing primary residences in Maryland, effective for taxable years beginning after June 30, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 156, the "Fairness in Girls’ Sports Act," requires Maryland public and nonpublic high schools competing against public schools to designate interscholastic and intramural junior varsity and varsity sports teams based solely on biological sex. It prohibits schools from allowing students assigned male at birth to participate on teams designated for students assigned female at birth. The bill also prevents government agencies or athletic organizations from penalizing schools for maintaining separate teams for females, and allows students or schools harmed by violations to file civil lawsuits seeking damages, attorney fees, or injunctions. This law directly affects high school athletic programs and takes effect July 1, 2025.