Sen. Ben Brooks

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Maryland law enforcement officers to remove face coverings during official duties, with limited exceptions for religious garb, inclement weather, or safety equipment (like gas masks). It mandates the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission to create a model policy, which all agencies must adopt. Officers violating the rule face civil penalties (up to $2,000) but not criminal charges. The law specifically excludes undercover operations and does not apply to face coverings used for health protection or religious reasons. It directly affects all state and local law enforcement officers performing public safety duties.

Maddy summarySB 204 establishes the Maryland Civic Excellence Program within the State Department of Education to recognize public school students who demonstrate proficiency in civics and civic literacy. Local school systems can choose to participate, using state-developed guidelines (to be finalized by 2027-2028) to determine student eligibility. Participating schools may award a "Seal of Civic Excellence" and attach it to students' high school diplomas. The program requires annual reports from participating schools starting July 2028, and schools may collaborate with civic organizations to support implementation. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 858 establishes the Audit and Finance Compliance Unit within Maryland's Department of Budget and Management. The unit directly affects all Executive Branch state agencies by monitoring their progress in resolving audit findings from the Office of Legislative Audits. Key provisions require the unit to create a public dashboard on its website showing agency audit status (including resolution timelines and repeat findings), form a specialized team to assist agencies with four or more repeat audit issues, and report quarterly to the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee. The dashboard must launch by October 1, 2027, and track corrective actions for all agencies annually.

Maddy summarySB 825 creates a Critical Infrastructure Protection Branch within Maryland’s Coordination and Analysis Center to strengthen state-level security for essential systems. The branch will identify threats, prioritize critical infrastructure (like utilities, hospitals, and transportation), and coordinate responses with state agencies and private owners. It requires the Department of Emergency Management to act during infrastructure attacks and mandates the Department of Information Technology to let critical infrastructure owners join the Maryland Information Sharing and Analysis Center while meeting specific cybersecurity reporting standards. This bill directly affects infrastructure operators (e.g., power companies, hospitals) and state agencies responsible for emergency response and cybersecurity.

Maddy summarySB 241 automatically restores voting rights for Maryland residents released from state correctional facilities who were previously registered to vote. The Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services must send weekly lists of released individuals (including new addresses) to the State Board of Elections, which then automatically reinstates their voter registration at the provided address. The bill prohibits disclosing that someone was restored through this process under public information laws. It directly affects people released from facilities like Patuxent Institution and Baltimore City Detention Center who were registered before incarceration. The law takes effect January 1, 2027.

Maddy summarySB 82 amends Maryland law to specifically prohibit creating, aiding, or possessing counterfeit leases or rental agreements with fraudulent intent. It directly affects individuals who attempt to defraud landlords or tenants through fake housing documents. The bill adds "lease" and "rental agreement" to the list of forgery targets (alongside checks, deeds, and other documents), making it a felony to create such counterfeits (up to 10 years in prison or $1,000 fine) and a misdemeanor to knowingly possess them (up to 3 years or $1,000 fine). The law takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes the composition of Baltimore County's Community College Board of Trustees. It reduces the total membership from 15 to 11 members, reassigns which council districts each member represents based on updated district boundaries effective June 23, 2026, and adjusts term expiration dates for board members. The changes take effect July 1, 2026, and apply directly to the board members and Baltimore County council districts. The bill focuses solely on administrative structure, not educational policy or funding.

Maddy summarySB 114 establishes the Maryland 3-1-1 Oversight Board to manage a statewide expansion of nonemergency 3-1-1 services. The bill requires all Maryland counties to implement AI-powered chatbots (by June 2027) and voicebots (by December 2028) that provide multilingual support, route calls accurately, and escalate complex issues to live agents. These systems must align with accessibility and equity standards, using curated government data for responses. The bill directly affects all 23 Maryland counties, residents using 3-1-1 services, and state agencies managing the program, with full statewide implementation required by July 2028.

Maddy summarySB 388, the DECADE Act, reorganizes Maryland's economic development programs to streamline administration and adjust eligibility for tax incentives. It redesignates the Economic Development Opportunities Program Account as the Strategic Closing Fund within the Department of Commerce, alters how video lottery proceeds are distributed, and modifies rules for several tax credits - including Job Creation, Research and Development, and film production credits - to expand access for businesses and investors. Key changes include allowing pass-through entities to allocate biotechnology tax credits differently, enabling film producers to amend credit applications, and extending the Build Our Future Grant Pilot Program. The bill directly affects businesses seeking economic development tax credits and state agencies managing these programs.

Maddy summarySB 141 creates a public reporting system for election-related false information (including deepfakes) and requires the State Administrator of Elections to issue corrective information when credible reports are received. It prohibits knowingly creating or spreading deepfakes intended to mislead voters about election processes, results, or voter rights, with violations punishable by fines up to $5,000 or up to 5 years in prison. The bill allows the State Board of Elections to file civil lawsuits against entities spreading false election information and exempts satire, news coverage with clear disclosures, and media outlets that label deceptive content. It directly affects anyone creating or distributing election-related misinformation or deepfakes with intent to influence voter decisions. The law takes effect June 1, 2026.