Del. Kim Ross

Maddy summaryHB 1617 establishes "Health Innovation Zones" in Maryland counties to address health disparities. It defines zones as areas with documented health gaps (like high maternal complications, chronic diseases, or low access to care) in communities of color, low-income areas, or immigrant populations. Counties must create incentives for grocery stores, pharmacies, and healthcare providers to locate in these zones, and Prince George’s County must designate specific zones (including the Blue Line Corridor and areas near DC) while seeking additional zones meeting the same criteria. The bill requires annual $5 million state funding starting in 2028 for the Maryland Economic Development Corporation to support these businesses and exempts them from local zoning laws within designated zones.

Maddy summaryHB 402 establishes a Common Ownership Community Ombudsman Unit within Maryland's Attorney General's Office to handle complaints from residents of homeowners associations (HOAs), condominiums, and cooperative housing communities about final adverse decisions made by their governing bodies. The unit will monitor relevant laws, provide members with information and referrals to dispute resolution services, and either make determinations about whether decisions violate laws or refer complaints to local county commissions. The bill also requires all common ownership communities to file governing documents with the Department of Housing and Community Development and mandates the department to create a public database of these documents. Annual reports on the unit's activities, including complaint volumes and actions taken, must be submitted to the department and the General Assembly.

Maddy summaryHB 860, the Arnaud and Magruder Memorial Act, sets a 5-day initial limit for emergency evaluation petitions after court approval, with extensions of up to 5 days each (totaling no more than 30 days) based on the individual's current behavior. The bill requires courts to include the petition's expiration date and clarifies that peace officers must transport individuals to emergency facilities when holding a valid petition (either court-endorsed within 5 days or signed by authorized professionals), allowing electronic petitions. This law directly affects courts reviewing petitions, peace officers executing them, emergency facilities receiving individuals, and people subject to emergency evaluations. It standardizes timelines and procedures to ensure timely care while preventing prolonged detention without court review.

Maddy summaryHB 1143 bans the use of the "lung float test" (a hydrostatic lung test) during perinatal autopsies in Maryland. It directly affects the Chief Medical Examiner, deputy examiners, assistant examiners, and authorized pathologists when determining if a death was a stillbirth or occurred after a live birth. The bill prohibits this specific test method and allows parents, guardians, or legal representatives to file a civil lawsuit if the test is used unlawfully. Violations also become grounds for disciplinary action against medical examiners.

Maddy summaryHB 1150 expands pharmacists' scope of practice in Maryland to prescribe, administer, and dispense medications for specific minor conditions and HIV prevention/treatment under statewide protocols. It directly affects pharmacists (by allowing new clinical duties) and patients (by increasing access to care for conditions like cold sores, strep throat, flu, lice, urinary infections, and HIV testing). Key provisions include permitting pharmacists to prescribe for minor, self-limiting conditions without a new diagnosis and to perform/interpret HIV lab tests while prescribing PrEP/PEP medications. The bill repeals the previous nPEP standing order program and requires the Maryland Department of Health to establish these protocols.

Maddy summaryHB 1593 requires Maryland's Deputy Secretary for Developmental Disabilities to provide public notice before changing the Self-Directed Services Manual, which governs waiver program services for individuals with developmental disabilities. The bill mandates a 90-day public comment period for proposed changes and prohibits adopting any revisions until this period ends. It directly affects individuals and families using self-directed services - where participants control their own care choices, staffing, and budget management - and ensures their input is considered before policy changes take effect. This procedural bill amends Maryland’s health code to formalize transparency and public engagement in updating the manual (effective October 1, 2026).

Maddy summaryHB 1048 requires Maryland chain restaurants with 20 or more locations to display warning icons next to menu items containing high sodium (1,150mg+ per serving) or high added sugars (25mg+ per serving) starting January 1, 2028. The Maryland Department of Health must adopt regulations by January 2027 establishing the icon designs, minimum sizes, and accompanying text. The bill also mandates a 2027 public education campaign to help restaurants comply with the new requirements. This directly affects large chain restaurants operating in Maryland, aiming to increase consumer awareness of nutritional content in menu items.

Maddy summaryHB 196 amends Maryland's definition of "baby food" to explicitly include infant formula and infant cereal (previously excluded), directly affecting baby food manufacturers in the state. The bill requires manufacturers to test each production batch of baby food for toxic metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury) starting January 1, 2025, using accredited labs at least monthly. Beginning January 1, 2026, manufacturers must publicly post test results online for each product and include QR codes on labels linking to FDA information about metal testing and health effects. The law aims to increase transparency and safety for infants under age 2 by aligning testing requirements with FDA standards.

Maddy summaryHB 658 establishes Maryland’s Community Forensic Aftercare Program within the Department of Health. The program monitors two groups: individuals found not criminally responsible due to mental illness who are on conditional release, and people with mental illness or intellectual disability requiring community monitoring under specific legal circumstances. Key provisions require the Program to create a community monitoring board to make decisions about conditional release and out-of-state travel for these individuals. The bill amends existing criminal procedure and health codes to implement this new oversight structure, replacing outdated sections with the new program framework.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Maryland's legislative scholarship programs to exempt certain applicants from competitive examination requirements and to allow scholarship funds to be used for real estate appraisal training. Specifically, it removes the exam requirement for students who have completed at least one year at an eligible institution, those who graduated high school five years prior, applicants to approved private career colleges, and community college students. Additionally, it authorizes senatorial and Delegate scholarships to cover expenses for completing the Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria program. The changes apply to both new scholarship applications and the existing scholarship programs, affecting current and future recipients who meet the specified eligibility criteria.