Sen. Mike McKay

Maddy summaryThis bill alters the membership of Maryland's Correctional Training Commission by increasing the number of correctional officer representatives from four to five. The new structure requires these five appointed members to represent each of the state's five distinct geographic regions, ensuring broader regional input into correctional policy. Additionally, the legislation updates the terms for these regional members to begin staggering on June 1, 2024, and mandates that one of the five representatives be a Department of Juvenile Services employee. The act also clarifies that other commission members may send representatives to meetings instead of attending in person.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Maryland's mental health laws to improve how individuals in crisis are evaluated and treated, specifically affecting peace officers, emergency facilities, and people with severe mental illness. It allows peace officers to transport individuals to nearby emergency facilities rather than strictly the nearest one and expands the ability to evaluate patients for involuntary admission to include psychiatric nurse practitioners. Additionally, the legislation mandates that every county establish an assisted outpatient treatment program, which can legally require individuals with severe mental illness to attend treatment to prevent homelessness and repeated hospitalizations. The law also ensures that public defenders provide legal representation during these assisted outpatient proceedings and permits electronic submission of evaluation petitions.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes new licensing options specifically for Garrett County to allow hotels, motels, and recreational facilities to sell beer, wine, and liquor at additional locations on their property. It creates three distinct license types that permit sales at secondary facilities separated by at least 150 feet from the main premises, with fees ranging from $150 to $1,750 per additional facility depending on the license category. The legislation also introduces a special license for an annual beer, wine, and liquor festival organized by a qualified nonprofit, while simultaneously banning the consumption or transfer of alcohol within places of adult entertainment. Additionally, the bill adjusts Sunday sales hours for certain licenses, modifies residency requirements for applicants, and updates the maximum fines for violating local alcohol laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how the salary of the Garrett County Sheriff is determined in Maryland. It removes the requirement for a Salary Study Commission to review and recommend changes to the Sheriff's pay and instead mandates that the Sheriff's salary be set at 80% of the State's Attorney's salary. The law takes effect on October 1, 2024, and applies to Sheriffs whose terms begin on or after that date.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Maryland's existing Law Enforcement Cadet Apprenticeship Program into a broader Public Safety Apprenticeship Program that includes correctional facilities and other public safety agencies. It increases the maximum grant amounts available to agencies, raising the startup grant limit to $200,000 and the per-apprentice stabilization grant to $5,000, while also requiring agencies to bargain with unions regarding employment terms before receiving funds. Additionally, the legislation mandates the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission to create mental health wellness policies for law enforcement and correctional facilities and establishes a new workgroup to study ways to increase employment in these sectors.

Maddy summaryThis Maryland bill establishes a temporary workgroup dedicated to studying how to better recruit and retain 9-1-1 specialists in the state. The group is composed of legislators, state agency representatives, and current employees in the field, and it will meet without receiving a salary but with reimbursement for travel expenses. Its main task is to investigate current challenges such as salary levels, benefits, training requirements, and turnover rates, while also reviewing reports from a previous commission on emergency services. By December 2024, the workgroup must provide an interim report, followed by a final report in December 2025, which will offer recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly on improving support for these workers. The legislation is set to expire automatically on December 31, 2025, unless further action is taken.

Maddy summaryThis Maryland law creates a new pathway for dentists who earned their degrees outside the United States or Canada to obtain a limited license to practice. To qualify, these applicants must have completed a pediatric dentistry residency, finished a fellowship at a recognized school, and agree to work for at least two years in public health clinics or federally qualified health centers serving underserved patients. The bill requires approval from specific health officials and school deans before granting the license, which restricts the dentist to treating only patients at the assigned facility. If the dentist fulfills the two-year service requirement and passes additional exams, they may later apply for a full, general dental license.

Maddy summaryThis Maryland law requires hospitals to create specific emergency protocols for treating patients suffering from opioid overdoses or related medical conditions. To support this, hospitals must keep certain approved medications on hand and agree to administer them if a doctor recommends it and the patient consents. The bill also mandates that hospitals connect patients diagnosed with opioid use disorder to community treatment providers and peer support specialists before they are discharged. Additionally, the law directs the Governor to use funds from the Opioid Restitution Fund to pay for hospital training and resources needed to implement these new requirements.

Maddy summaryThis Maryland law strengthens penalties for individuals who solicit minors or law enforcement officers posing as minors to engage in illegal sexual acts. The bill defines "solicit" broadly to include requests made in person, over the phone, via mail, or through any electronic means like computers and the internet. It makes it a felony to encourage a minor or their parent to participate in activities that would otherwise be unlawful, such as producing or viewing child pornography or engaging in sadomasochistic abuse. Convictions carry prison sentences of up to ten years for a first offense and up to twenty years for repeat offenders, along with substantial fines.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Maryland Entertainment District Security Grant Program to help fund security operations in specific areas of the state. The program targets neighborhoods with high concentrations of bars, hookah lounges, or live entertainment venues that experience heavy foot traffic and frequent police calls for service. Eligible recipients include community organizations, nonprofits, and local governments, which must apply through the Governor's Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services. The program is financed by a special state fund that will receive up to $1 million annually starting in fiscal year 2026, with money used solely for grants and administrative costs.