Del. Lauren Arikan

Maddy summaryHB 1586 adds "coercive control" to Maryland's definition of abuse for protective order petitions, specifically for adults experiencing psychological manipulation. It defines coercive control as patterns of behavior including isolating victims from support networks, depriving them of basic needs, controlling finances or movements, or using threats (including about immigration status) to force compliance. This allows individuals in abusive relationships - where physical violence may not occur - to seek protective orders based on these non-physical tactics. The bill updates existing Family Law sections (4-501 and 4-504) to include these specific examples of coercive control as grounds for relief.

Maddy summaryHB 974 removes several existing regulatory requirements for electricity and gas suppliers in Maryland. It repeals rules about licensing energy salespersons, residential supplier terms, and reporting obligations, while modifying how electric cooperatives and standard offer service operate. The bill also changes the name and purpose of the "Education and Protection Fund" to better support customer education about energy choices. These changes aim to reduce regulatory barriers for suppliers, potentially increasing competition in the retail energy market for residential customers. The bill directly affects electricity/gas suppliers, energy salespersons, and residential customers seeking alternative energy providers.

Maddy summaryHB 1024 prohibits the State of Maryland or its local governments from using eminent domain to take privately owned property subject to a permanent agricultural or conservation easement. This directly affects landowners who have placed such easements on their property, including farmers and conservation organizations. The bill amends Maryland law to explicitly state that state entities "may not take by eminent domain" these easement-covered properties, while maintaining existing procedures for state roads and Baltimore City. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 129 requires nonprofits receiving at least 50% of their annual funding from specific public sources - including state/local grants, capital budgets, or local impact grants - to report funding amounts and usage to Maryland's Comptroller. This applies to IRS 501(c) exempt organizations operating in Maryland that meet the funding threshold. Nonprofits must submit these reports annually, and the Comptroller will summarize the data for the General Assembly by January 31 each year. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, aiming to standardize reporting on public funding for transparency.

Maddy summaryHB 1449 establishes the Maryland Office of the Inspector General (OIG) to independently oversee state agency operations. It creates an Advisory Board (with the Governor, Comptroller, and legislative leaders) to appoint the OIG director, who must have expertise in auditing, law, or public administration and serve a 6-year term. The bill requires all state agencies ("units") to fully cooperate with OIG investigations and audits, protects whistleblowers who report misconduct to the OIG, and ensures confidentiality for OIG records under public information laws. This new office directly affects state agencies by mandating their cooperation and provides a formal structure for oversight of state government spending and operations.

Maddy summaryHB 1510 requires unemployment insurance claimants in Maryland to use two-step verification (like a password plus a code) when accessing online claim services to prevent fraud. It mandates the Department of Labor to review claims with suspicious patterns - such as identical bank account details used across multiple claims - and refer suspected fraud cases to law enforcement. The bill also authorizes the Department to recover overpaid benefits by withholding from state income tax refunds and increases penalties for fraud, including extending disqualification periods for claimants found to have committed fraud.

Maddy summaryHB 1331 requires Maryland’s Department of Health and Department of Human Services to verify eligibility for public benefits (like Medicaid) through automated data-sharing with federal and state agencies, replacing self-attestation. It mandates monthly reviews of death records, incarceration, and address changes, and quarterly checks of tax filings, employment, and income data to ensure ongoing eligibility. The bill prohibits providing benefits to non-citizens, requires annual inspections of retail facilities for certain programs, and establishes new work requirement compliance reviews. These changes directly affect individuals applying for or receiving public assistance by shifting verification from self-reported information to cross-checked data.

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 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.