Del. Robin Grammer

Maddy summaryHB 365 prohibits denying a person the right to purchase, own, possess, or carry a firearm solely because they are authorized to use medical cannabis under Maryland law. It directly affects medical cannabis patients who previously faced potential firearm restrictions based on their treatment. The bill adds Section 5-901 to Maryland's Public Safety Article, creating a specific legal safeguard against such discrimination. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 63, the "Fairness in Girls’ Sports Act," requires Maryland public and certain nonpublic high schools to designate interscholastic and intramural junior varsity and varsity athletic teams, and associated locker rooms, strictly based on biological sex. It mandates that teams and locker rooms designated for "students of the female sex" (biological female) cannot include students of the male sex, while allowing coeducational options. The bill prohibits governmental entities, accrediting bodies, or athletic associations from penalizing schools for maintaining these sex-based designations and permits students or schools to sue if harmed by violations. It explicitly defines key terms like "biological sex" and establishes a two-year window for filing civil actions to recover damages or legal fees.

Maddy summaryHB 304 clarifies that government agencies do not create a new public record when they respond to public records requests by manipulating existing electronic data (such as querying, extracting, or compiling from current databases) to provide portions of an existing record. This applies when the requested information already exists in a searchable electronic format, meaning agencies can fulfill requests without compiling new files. The bill also specifies agencies are not required to reconstruct records in electronic format if they no longer have them that way, and must avoid releasing data in formats that compromise security. This directly affects Maryland government agencies handling public records requests and the public seeking electronic data under the Public Information Act.

Maddy summaryHB 122 requires Maryland state agencies providing grants or subsidies to nonprofits to verify that recipients meet four specific criteria: maintaining good standing with the IRS, being current on all federal/state/local taxes, having a valid state charter on file, and submitting required annual tax forms (Form 990 or personal property tax return). This bill directly affects nonprofits seeking state aid, including community organizations, social services groups, and cultural institutions that rely on state funding. The law, effective July 1, 2026, aims to ensure nonprofits are financially compliant before receiving state funds. It does not change the amount of aid provided but establishes standardized verification steps for all state aid recipients.

Maddy summaryHB 186 would allow statewide Sunday bow hunting for deer during the full bow hunting season and for turkey using a bow throughout the turkey hunting season, removing current county-specific time restrictions. It directly affects bow hunters in all Maryland counties, replacing previous limits (like 30 minutes before sunrise to 10:30 a.m. in certain areas) with full-season Sunday hunting rights. The bill amends Maryland’s Natural Resources code to authorize the Department of Natural Resources to permit these activities without time-based limitations. This change applies to deer bow hunting season and turkey hunting season for bow users, affecting all counties uniformly. It does not alter hunting for firearms or other methods on Sundays.

Maddy summaryHB 302 requires the Maryland Transportation Authority to design entrances and exits for the new Patapsco River bridge (replacing the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge) so vehicles not crossing the bridge won’t be charged a toll. It specifically amends state law to mandate that the bridge’s access points prevent toll collection for non-crossing vehicles. The bill directly affects drivers using the Patapsco River bridge area, ensuring tolls are only charged for those actually using the bridge. The provision takes effect October 1, 2026, and focuses solely on physical design changes to toll collection systems.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Maryland's juvenile sex offender registry to include specific offenses like child pornography violations, sexual acts against minors, and certain sexual offenses that would be crimes if committed by adults. It requires juveniles (at least 14 years old at the time of the offense) found guilty in court for these offenses to be registered in a separate juvenile registry, distinct from the adult registry. The bill also allows school superintendents or their designees to access the registry for safety purposes, in addition to law enforcement. Juveniles on the registry must update their information and provide a digital photo every three months until they turn 18 or lose juvenile court jurisdiction, whichever occurs later. The changes will take effect on October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 201 exempts tips and gratuities from Maryland state income tax for workers in specific service industries. It directly affects employees in food service, hotels, limousine services, passenger-for-hire transportation, and taxicab services. The bill modifies Maryland tax law to exclude tips received in these roles from taxable income calculations. This change takes effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 236 allows individuals to seek a peace order against someone who conducts intentional visual surveillance (like hidden cameras) in areas of their residence where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy, such as yards or outbuildings. It expands existing peace order protections by adding this specific behavior as a grounds for a petition and requires courts to order the respondent to remove or reposition surveillance devices within 15 days and stop further surveillance. The bill directly affects residents experiencing unauthorized visual monitoring of private property areas, offering a legal remedy through the court system. It amends Maryland’s peace order law to include these specific provisions without changing criminal penalties for the underlying surveillance acts.

Maddy summaryHB 893 changes Maryland's oyster fishing regulations by replacing license revocation with license suspension for certain violations. It requires the Department of Natural Resources to suspend (not revoke) oyster licenses for up to 2 years for first offenses or up to 10 years for repeat offenses involving violations like harvesting near closed areas, using prohibited gear, or harvesting outside time restrictions. The bill also creates a reinstatement process: individuals whose licenses were revoked before July 1, 2025, can regain their license after 2 years for a first violation or 10 years for a repeat violation. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, and applies directly to oyster harvesters in Maryland.