Del. Robin Grammer

Maddy summaryHB 687, the Community-Oriented Policing Act, prohibits Maryland law enforcement agencies from setting or using arrest, citation, or warrant quotas for officer evaluations, promotions, or discipline. The bill specifically bans agencies from requiring officers to meet specific activity targets (like a set number of arrests) or using those numbers as the primary factor in personnel decisions. It also clarifies that agencies may still use quantitative data for management purposes, as long as it doesn’t dictate officer evaluations. The law amends Maryland’s Public Safety Code and takes effect October 1, 2025. It directly affects all local and state law enforcement agencies and their officers in Maryland.

Maddy summaryHB 682 prohibits most state and local law enforcement agencies in Maryland from using persistent aerial surveillance - defined as recording video or images over time to track a person’s movements - to gather evidence in criminal investigations. The bill directly affects police departments, sheriffs’ offices, and other public safety units by restricting this surveillance method unless specific exceptions apply. These exceptions include obtaining a valid search warrant, executing an arrest warrant, conducting active search/rescue operations, or responding to imminent threats like terrorist attacks with DHS authorization. The law takes effect October 1, 2025, and amends Maryland’s Public Safety and Transportation codes to implement these restrictions.

Maddy summaryThis bill restricts Maryland state and local governments from using drones (unmanned aircraft) for surveillance, evidence collection, or gathering information without specific exceptions. It prohibits deploying drones except for activities like executing arrest warrants, active search-and-rescue operations, preventing imminent harm, or under a valid court warrant. Evidence obtained through unauthorized drone use becomes inadmissible in criminal, civil, or administrative court cases. The law directly affects state agencies and local governments (like police departments) by limiting their drone operations and requiring strict adherence to the listed exceptions.

Maddy summaryHB 638 requires juveniles (minors) found guilty in juvenile court for certain sexual offenses to register as juvenile sex offenders. It applies to those aged 14 or older at the time of the offense, mandating registration with the Department of Juvenile Services, quarterly updates, and digital photos. Juveniles remain on the separate juvenile registry until age 21 if court jurisdiction ends before then. The bill also expands school notification requirements by adding more sexual offenses to the list of "reportable offenses" that trigger law enforcement and school alerts when a child is arrested.

Maddy summaryHB 588 requires law enforcement to notify school superintendents, principals, or school security officers within 24 hours when a student (ages 5-22) is arrested for specific "reportable offenses" like violent crimes or certain drug violations committed off school grounds. The bill applies to all Maryland public and nonpublic schools, directly affecting school administrators who receive these notifications. It mandates confidentiality for the arrest information (not to be added to student records) and requires the State’s Attorney to share case dispositions with schools. Schools must also provide educational programming details when sharing student information with other schools due to prior arrests. The law aims to inform schools about student arrests while protecting privacy.

Maddy summaryHB 683 makes it a misdemeanor for parents, guardians, or custodians to intentionally, knowingly, recklessly, or negligently act (or fail to act) in a way that causes a child to commit a crime or break the law. If convicted, they face up to 30 days in jail, a $2,500 fine, or both, and must participate in court proceedings and treatment programs for the child. The law also requires courts to order parents/guardians to pay court costs and restitution related to the child’s offense, while prohibiting fines for parents under certain circumstances. This directly affects parents, guardians, and custodians of children who commit crimes, shifting accountability to adult caregivers for their role in the child’s actions.

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.

Maddy summaryHB 318 adds "failure to obey a court order to report to confinement" to Maryland's list of eligible offenses for expungement. This allows individuals convicted of this specific misdemeanor (not showing up to serve a sentence) to petition courts to clear their conviction records. The bill amends Section 10-110(a) of Maryland's Criminal Procedure law, expanding current expungement eligibility to include this offense under the misdemeanor category. Previously, such convictions were not covered by expungement laws. The change takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 777 clarifies that individuals granted expungement under Maryland law are legally treated as if they were never arrested, cited, charged, or convicted for the underlying offense. This directly affects people who successfully obtain expungement for past criminal records. The bill adds a specific provision to Maryland's criminal procedure code stating that expungement erases the legal consequences of the offense for all purposes, including employment, housing, and licensing. It ensures that background checks and official records no longer reflect the expunged offense. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.

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.