Rep. Bob Long

Maddy summaryHB 622 (Juvenile Justice Restoration Act of 2025) requires law enforcement officers to consult with an attorney before questioning a child in custody. Specifically, officers must ensure the child has spoken with an attorney (either retained by parents or provided by the Public Defender) and make reasonable efforts to notify the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian before interrogation. Exceptions exist only for immediate public safety threats (with limited questions) or if the parent/guardian consents to skip the attorney consultation. Violating these rules creates a rebuttable presumption that any statement made by the child is inadmissible in court, though the state can overcome this with clear evidence the statement was voluntary. The bill directly affects children under 18 during police questioning and all Maryland law enforcement agencies.

Maddy summaryHB 652 prohibits Maryland's Department of Juvenile Services from hiring or retaining employees convicted of specific serious crimes, directly affecting individuals seeking or holding jobs in juvenile services. The bill bans hiring for 14 offenses including abduction, kidnapping, murder, rape, child abuse, sexual offenses against minors, and certain violent assaults. An exception allows hiring if the conviction was reversed or vacated. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1410 exempts first-time homebuyers in Maryland from the state transfer tax when purchasing improved residential property to occupy as their primary residence. It directly affects individuals who have never owned residential property in Maryland that served as their principal residence, requiring them (or their agent) to submit a signed statement confirming eligibility. The bill repeals existing tax exemption language and replaces it with new provisions in Section 13-207(d), clarifying that the tax exemption applies to qualifying transactions and specifying the required sworn statements. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1154 modifies Maryland's home detention rules for incarcerated individuals. It requires the Commissioner of Correction (or their designee) to remove someone from home detention if they violate program conditions (newly specified in subsection B). The bill also expands the Commissioner's authority to remove individuals "at any time and for any reason" (newly added in subsection A), replacing the prior standard. This change directly affects people in Maryland's home detention program and takes effect October 1, 2025. The bill makes removal procedures more flexible for program administrators.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Ratepayer Protection Act of 2025, prevents Maryland state and local governments from suing businesses for financial or economic damages caused by global warming or climate change. It achieves this by adding a new legal provision that explicitly bars government agencies from filing such lawsuits, while clarifying that the law does not stop governments from enforcing existing environmental, health, or zoning regulations. The legislation defines "business" broadly to include various entities and financial institutions, and it takes effect on October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1414 amends Maryland's building energy standards to exclude certain public safety, emergency, and public utility buildings from the definition of "covered building." This means police stations, fire departments, emergency shelters, and utility facilities (like power substations) will no longer be subject to the state's energy performance requirements. The bill modifies existing law by adding specific exclusions to the "covered building" definition, removing these facilities from the annual emissions reporting and reduction targets that apply to other large commercial buildings. The policy change takes effect October 1, 2025, without altering the energy standards for other covered buildings.

Maddy summaryHB 773, the "Right to Teach Act of 2025," allows public middle and high school teachers in Maryland to remove students from their classroom under specific conditions: if a student repeatedly disrupts learning (with prior documentation) or exhibits severely disruptive, abusive, or unruly behavior that significantly interferes with teaching or other students' learning. Teachers must document the behavior, submit it to the principal, and send the student to the principal or guidance counselor. The bill prohibits county school boards from disciplining teachers for following these removal procedures and requires principals to use restorative methods for students referred to counselors. This law directly affects teachers, students, and school administrators by changing classroom discipline protocols and protecting educators from retaliation. It takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1203 prohibits the Maryland Transportation Authority from charging tolls on the new bridge replacing the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge for the first five years after it opens to passenger traffic. The bill directly affects drivers using this specific bridge and alters the state's toll policy for this infrastructure project. It achieves this by amending Maryland law to explicitly ban tolls on the new Patapsco River bridge during its initial five-year operation, ensuring no toll charges apply during that period.

Maddy summaryHB 1286 creates tax exemptions for Maryland residents who are unlawfully detained or taken hostage abroad, and their spouses. It exempts their income from state income tax (under Section 10-104) and property tax on homes they own (under Section 7-251), provided the property is used exclusively by the spouse or was previously used by the affected individual. The bill requires the Comptroller to collaborate with the State Department to identify qualifying individuals and share lists with local tax collectors. The income tax exemption applies to taxable years starting after December 31, 2024, and the property tax exemption applies to years starting after June 30, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1213 prohibits businesses with Baltimore County Class A alcohol licenses (for wine, beer/wine, or beer/wine/liquor sales) from using self-checkout machines at their licensed locations. It amends three sections of Maryland law (13-701, 13-802, and 13-901) to add a specific ban on self-checkout machines, replacing prior language. This applies directly to licensed retail establishments selling alcohol in Baltimore County, including wineries and taverns. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, and does not change annual license fees ($100, $250, or $900).