Rep. Robin Grammer

Maddy summaryHB 1322 requires Maryland public universities to treat all outdoor campus areas as public forums where students, faculty, staff, and guests can engage in expression without being confined to designated "free speech zones." It allows only reasonable, content-neutral time, place, and manner restrictions that don’t disrupt campus operations or block spontaneous assembly. The bill prohibits charging security fees based on speech content and permits the Attorney General or affected individuals to sue schools for violations. This directly affects public university campuses and their community members by clarifying free speech boundaries under state law.

Maddy summaryHB 1550 proposes to repeal Maryland’s eminent domain authority by removing the state’s legal power to seize private property for public use. It would eliminate specific provisions across multiple Maryland Code articles (including Public Utilities, Real Property, and Transportation) that govern condemnation procedures, quick-take mechanisms, and redevelopment projects. This bill directly affects property owners who could no longer face state-led property seizures, as well as state agencies and developers relying on eminent domain for infrastructure or redevelopment. The measure also includes constitutional amendments to formally end this authority, requiring voter approval to take effect.

Maddy summaryHB 696 modifies prescription drug coverage for Maryland state retirees based on their hire date. It continues drug benefits for retirees who began state service before July 1, 2011, while ending these benefits for retirees (and their Medicare-eligible spouses/children) who started on or after that date. The bill replaces three existing retiree drug programs with a new reimbursement program covering out-of-pocket costs for eligible retirees who qualify for partial subsidies. It also removes reporting requirements related to Medicare-eligible retirees’ access to services.

Maddy summaryHB 1319 restricts the Governor of Maryland from ordering the National Guard or militia members into active duty combat (defined as participation in armed conflict, hazardous foreign service related to conflict, or war-related duties) unless the U.S. Congress has officially declared war or taken specific action under Article I, Section 8, Clause 15 of the U.S. Constitution. The bill directly affects the Governor's authority to deploy state military forces for combat operations. It preserves the Governor's ability to deploy forces for non-combat purposes like disaster response (under existing State active duty provisions) or under Title 32 for domestic support. The law takes effect October 1, 2026, and explicitly states it does not limit Title 32 deployments within the U.S.

Maddy summaryHB 1392, the Community-Oriented Policing Act, prohibits Maryland law enforcement agencies from setting or requiring officers to meet arrest or citation targets (quotas) and bans using such targets for evaluations, pay, discipline, or promotions. The bill allows agencies to use quantitative data for legitimate management or compliance checks but explicitly forbids quotas as a performance metric. Officers can report suspected quota violations to the Attorney General’s Office via an online form, which must investigate within one year and order agencies to stop if violations are confirmed. This law directly affects all Maryland law enforcement agencies and their officers, aiming to prevent pressure to meet arbitrary arrest numbers.

Maddy summaryHB 1398 suspends Maryland's state transfer tax on property transactions for three years, from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029. This directly affects individuals and businesses transferring property through deeds, sales, or other recorded instruments during that period. The bill amends Maryland's tax code to exclude these transactions from the standard transfer tax requirement, applying to both county circuit court recordings and Department filings. It does not change the tax rate or permanent rules, only temporarily halting the tax collection during the specified window. The suspension applies to all qualifying property transfers within the defined timeframe.

Maddy summaryHB 751 requires Maryland's governor to annually proclaim November 7 as "Victims of Communism Memorial Day." The bill directs the Department of Legislative Services to send a copy of the law to the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation in Washington, D.C. It does not create new programs, funding, or legal obligations for citizens or government agencies. The bill is purely ceremonial, aligning Maryland with a national observance previously recognized by the U.S. Congress and President Trump. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 1039 requires county school boards to notify parents of students attending schools labeled "failing" (those with a 1-star rating for three consecutive years) annually by January 1, providing a list of alternative options. Students must choose by April 1 to stay at their current school or transfer to a non-failing public school, nonpublic school, or military boarding school. The bill creates a "Right to Learn" scholarship program funded by counties to cover nonpublic school costs for students in failing schools, and mandates school systems to pay for military boarding school enrollment for students with disciplinary issues. Failing schools remain designated until they earn two stars for two consecutive years.

Maddy summaryHB 1308 modifies Maryland's homeowners' property tax credit program by raising eligibility thresholds. It increases the assessed value cap for qualifying homes from $300,000 to $480,000, raises the income threshold for the first tax credit bracket from $8,000 to $12,500, and raises the combined gross income limit from $60,000 to $95,000. The bill also raises the net worth limit for eligibility from $200,000 to $320,000. These changes will directly affect more middle-income homeowners who previously exceeded the lower limits, expanding access to the credit starting June 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 964, the Secure the Vote Act of 2026, repeals existing requirements for ballot drop boxes (including those at Baltimore City's centralized booking facility) and modifies election rules. It adds new requirements: voters must provide proof of U.S. citizenship to register (per Section 3-201.1), obtain photo ID for in-person voting (Section 2-111), and restricts absentee voting to those unable to vote in person due to specific circumstances. The bill also mandates signature verification for absentee ballots, establishes new audit procedures for voter registration lists, and prohibits non-citizens from registering to vote in municipal elections. These changes apply to all Maryland voters and election officials statewide.