Rep. Robin Grammer

Maddy summaryHB 362 clarifies that once a person in Maryland receives an expungement for a criminal offense, they are legally treated as if they were never arrested, cited, charged, or convicted for that offense. The bill directly affects individuals who qualify for expungement under Maryland law by removing the lingering legal consequences of their past record. Its key provision (added to Maryland's Criminal Procedure Code) explicitly states that expungement applies "for all purposes," ensuring background checks, employment screenings, and other contexts cannot reference the expunged offense. The law takes effect October 1, 2026, creating a uniform legal standard for expungement outcomes.

Maddy summaryHB 508 requires Maryland police departments to remove certain investigation records from an officer’s personnel file 3 years after a determination that the officer was not administratively charged, the complaint was deemed unfounded, or the officer was exonerated. It directly affects police officers whose misconduct complaints were cleared through administrative or trial processes. The key provision mandates this removal for records related to internal affairs investigations, disciplinary decisions, or hearing records, excluding cases where formal charges were filed. This change aims to limit the long-term impact of unsubstantiated or cleared complaints on officers’ records. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 471 restricts how Maryland state and local governments can use drones (unmanned aircraft). It prohibits most deployments for surveillance or evidence collection, and bans using information gathered by drones unless specific exceptions apply. Evidence obtained through unauthorized drone use becomes inadmissible in court. Exceptions allow drone use only for activities like executing search warrants, active rescues, or responding to credible terrorism threats, as outlined in the bill. This directly affects state agencies and local governments operating drones for public safety purposes.

Maddy summaryHB 397 allows individuals convicted of failing to report to confinement (a misdemeanor) to petition for expungement of their record. It adds this specific offense to Maryland’s list of eligible cases under expungement law. The bill requires a 5-year waiting period after completing all sentence terms before filing such a petition. This applies only to misdemeanor convictions for not showing up to jail as ordered by a court.

Maddy summaryHB 464 repeals Maryland's existing law allowing no-knock search warrants, requiring law enforcement officers to always announce their presence and authority before entering a residence during a search. This directly affects police officers executing search warrants and residents living in properties subject to searches. The bill removes all exceptions permitting entry without notice, mandating that officers provide audible announcement of their authority and purpose prior to entry. It specifically repeals provisions in Maryland's Criminal Procedure and Public Safety codes that previously permitted no-knock warrants under certain conditions.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes Maryland's rules for using wiretapped or electronically intercepted communications as evidence in criminal trials. It allows such evidence in court if the crime involved a victim, the evidence is material to the case, the interception wasn't conducted by Maryland law enforcement, it's more probative than other available evidence, and admitting it serves justice. Prosecutors must also provide the defense with at least 14 days' notice before using this evidence. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 398 prohibits Maryland state and local law enforcement agencies from using persistent aerial surveillance (like drones recording continuous video of people's movements) in criminal investigations, except under seven specific exceptions. These exceptions include having a valid search warrant, executing arrest warrants, conducting active search/rescue operations, locating escaped prisoners, preventing imminent harm, or responding to specific terrorism threats with federal approval. The law directly affects police departments and state agencies that previously used such surveillance methods. It takes effect October 1, 2026, and defines "persistent aerial surveillance" as recording video/images showing a person's actions over time.

Maddy summaryHB 303 requires Maryland's Attorney General to publish an annual handbook by October 1, 2026, and each subsequent October 1, summarizing state, federal, and court laws about wearing, carrying, and transporting handguns in public. The handbook must be written in plain language without legal jargon and designed for use in firearm safety courses. This bill directly affects Maryland residents who carry or transport handguns, as well as firearm safety instructors who may use the handbook. It mandates no changes to existing gun laws but creates a standardized public resource to clarify current legal requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 15 amends Maryland's Public Information Act to require certain nonprofit organizations to treat specific documents as "public records." It directly affects nonprofits receiving $50,000 or more annually from state grants, state bond proceeds, or local impact grants. The bill expands the definition of "public record" to include documents created by these nonprofits, such as employee salary lists, and mandates they follow the same disclosure rules as government entities. Nonprofits must now proactively disclose available records and limit data collection to what's necessary for governmental purposes, with policies tailored to their resources. The changes take effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 521 repeals a surcharge on electric and gas utility bills that previously funded energy efficiency programs supporting Maryland's greenhouse gas reduction goals. The bill removes the requirement for utilities to recover costs related to these programs through customer bills, eliminating a mandatory surcharge that had been in place since at least 2008. This directly affects residential and commercial utility customers who previously paid this fee, as it no longer requires utilities to include these costs in billing. The repeal also removes disclosure requirements about the surcharge's purpose and duration.