Del. Nick Allen

Maddy summaryHB 489 requires the Maryland Department of Labor to study building code requirements for single-staircase buildings (those with only one exit staircase) across Maryland and other U.S. states. The study must analyze safety factors like fire department response, water supply, and compliance with modern codes, while assessing impacts on housing costs and development feasibility for buildings up to six stories. It will consult fire safety experts and firefighter unions before making recommendations to potentially change building codes to allow such construction. The Department must submit findings and recommendations to the Governor and legislature by December 1, 2025, aiming to inform policies that could increase affordable housing supply.

Maddy summaryHB 506, the Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act, creates the Maryland Leaders in Environmentally Engaged Farming (LEEF) Program to reduce nutrients in the Chesapeake Bay watershed through voluntary farm conservation practices. The bill establishes a special fund for the program, redefines "healthy soils" for existing soil programs, and exempts certain fishing license holders from needing food establishment licenses. Key provisions include tiered recognition for farms adopting conservation practices, requirements for the Department of Environment to authorize water quality trading credits, and new rules for fisheries management and aquaculture leases. The bill directly affects Maryland farmers, state environmental agencies, and fishing industry participants by changing how conservation incentives and regulations are implemented.

Maddy summaryHB 702 requires Maryland county boards of education to publish a list of special education service delivery models on their websites. This list must include options available both within the public school system and for parentally-placed private school students (children with disabilities whose parents chose private schools, not those referred by public agencies). The bill mandates that counties clearly state placement decisions for public school students will follow federal special education rules and involve parent input. It takes effect July 1, 2025, and directly affects county education boards and families of children with disabilities in private schools. The law does not change service delivery but increases transparency about available options.

Maddy summaryHB 1322 requires all operators of gasoline-powered vessels on Maryland waters to have carbon monoxide warning labels clearly visible near the transom and helm of the vessel. This law directly affects boat operators and owners who operate gasoline-powered vessels, amending Maryland's State Boat Act to mandate these labels. The key provision specifies the exact locations where labels must be affixed to warn of carbon monoxide risks. The law takes effect on October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 375 (Jay's Law) modifies Maryland's transportation code to allow bicyclists, riders of play vehicles, and unicyclists to ride on sidewalks or sidewalk areas unless prohibited by local ordinance. It requires these riders to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and users of electric personal assistive mobility devices when on sidewalks or in crosswalks. The bill directly affects cyclists, pedestrians, and local governments (which retain authority to ban sidewalk riding). Key provisions amend sections 21-1103 and 21-1202 of Maryland's Annotated Code, taking effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 930 establishes Maryland's Public Health Abortion Grant Program to improve access to abortion care by redirecting excess funds from health insurance coverage. It requires insurance carriers in Maryland to transfer 90% of unused funds from their abortion coverage accounts (after covering patient costs) into a new special fund. This fund will support abortion clinical services, particularly where federal funding is restricted, benefiting individuals seeking abortion care in Maryland. The program mandates annual reporting by insurers and transfers existing excess funds starting in 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1152 requires landlords of residential rental properties in Maryland to publicly disclose their pet policies in specific ways. Landlords must provide a link to the policy on the property’s website, in digital advertisements, and in rental search engine listings, plus include a written summary in rental applications. The disclosure must detail breed/weight restrictions, all fees (upfront, deposits, monthly), pet limits, vaccination requirements, insurance needs, and other landlord-specific rules. This directly affects landlords of residential rentals and their prospective tenants who own pets. The bill amends Maryland’s real property code to implement these transparency requirements, effective October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 674 prohibits individuals from intentionally concealing a death by failing to notify emergency services or law enforcement, dismembering or destroying human remains, or burying a dead body. It also bans aiding or abetting these acts. Violating this law is a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison, with sentences served consecutively to other related convictions. The bill directly affects anyone who attempts to hide a death through these specific actions, targeting concealment of death rather than the underlying crime.

Maddy summaryHB 857 allows licensed Maryland deer hunters who wound a deer during legal hunting hours to pursue and kill it after hours, provided they use only the same hunting method authorized for their season (e.g., archery or firearms). The bill amends Maryland’s natural resources law (Section 10-428 of the Annotated Code) to create this exception to standard hunting hour restrictions. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources must adopt regulations to implement the new rule, which takes effect July 1, 2025. This directly affects licensed deer hunters who wound deer during legal hours but cannot complete the harvest before closing.

Maddy summaryHB 292 requires cooperative housing corporations, condominiums, and homeowners associations in Maryland to include specific reserve funds in their annual budgets and deposit those funds by certain deadlines each year. The bill mandates that governing bodies conduct initial reserve studies within specified timeframes (depending on the entity's establishment date and county) and update these studies every five years, including annual reviews for accuracy. It also requires entities to prepare detailed funding plans aligned with reserve study findings, ensuring funds are set aside for future major repairs and replacements of common property components. This affects all qualifying housing associations across Maryland counties, with implementation timelines staggered based on when the entity was established in Prince George’s, Montgomery, or other counties. The law aims to improve financial planning for long-term maintenance without changing membership rights or fees.