Sen. Clarence Lam

Maddy summarySB 577 requires the Maryland Department of Health to create and distribute literature covering firearm safety, training, suicide prevention, mental health awareness, and conflict resolution to all county health departments. County health departments must then provide this literature to every firearm and ammunition seller in their jurisdiction, who must make it visible at point-of-sale and hand it to every customer purchasing these items. Sellers who fail to comply may face civil penalties of up to $500 for a first violation and $1,000 for subsequent violations, enforced by county health representatives. The law takes effect October 1, 2025, and directly affects all firearm and ammunition retailers across Maryland.

Maddy summarySB 855, the Maryland Railway Safety Act of 2025, establishes new safety rules for railroads operating in Maryland. It requires freight trains to have at least two crew members, limits how long trains can block grade crossings (to 5 minutes), and caps train length at 8,500 feet on main or branch lines. The bill also creates a state reporting system for hazardous materials transport by rail and mandates railroads to install wayside detectors that scan for equipment defects like overheating wheels or shifted loads. These provisions directly apply to railroad companies operating in Maryland, focusing on operational safety standards rather than broader policy changes.

Maddy summarySB 974 requires Maryland's Medicaid program (Maryland Medical Assistance Program) and certain insurers, health plans, and managed care organizations to provide equal coverage for nonopioid pain medications as they do for opioid pain medications. Specifically, it prohibits applying stricter prior authorization, step therapy, or "fail-first" protocols for nonopioid drugs than those used for opioids. The law mandates coverage for FDA-approved nonopioid pain drugs to the same extent as covered opioid drugs, effective July 1, 2026. This directly affects patients seeking nonopioid pain treatment and the insurers/programs that cover these medications.

Maddy summarySB 976 extends Maryland's Public Employee Relations Act to cover collective bargaining for employees of counties and municipalities (local government workers), including establishing new rules for negotiations and dispute resolution. It creates a new "Public Local Employee Collective Bargaining" subtitle in state law, defining key terms like "public local employee" (excluding confidential/management staff) and requiring local governments to adopt labor relations laws. The bill mandates binding arbitration for unresolved bargaining disputes and prohibits bargaining units from mixing supervisory and non-supervisory employees. It also requires local governments to provide documentation to the Public Labor Relations Board and allows governing bodies to petition the Board for compliance reviews of local labor laws. This bill directly affects county and municipal workers in roles covered by the new framework, excluding school boards, community colleges, and public libraries.

Maddy summarySB 987 requires Maryland’s Health Care Commission to maintain a registry for artificial intelligence (AI) health software distributed or operated in the state. It prohibits anyone from distributing or operating unregistered AI health software and bans health insurance carriers from using AI to decide or influence health care decisions (e.g., treatment coverage or diagnoses). The law includes fines up to $10,000 per day for violations, with penalties based on harm caused, investigation costs, and prior offenses. It specifically allows insurers to use AI for non-health-related tasks, such as administrative operations, while defining "AI" as systems that make decisions affecting real-world environments. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a Forensic Mental Health Treatment Fund that receives court-imposed fines when defendants aren't admitted to facilities on time. Courts must send these fines (not intended to reimburse detention costs) directly to the fund instead of retaining them. It modifies bed capacity rules for psychiatric facilities, requiring a certificate of need if reducing psychiatric beds by five or more. Additionally, it establishes a workgroup to develop a standardized form for judges in incompetency-to-stand-trial proceedings. The fund is designated as a special, nonlapsing account, with interest earnings credited back to it.

Maddy summarySB 430 requires Maryland's Department of Housing and Community Development and Department of Planning to annually calculate regional housing infrastructure gaps - measuring the shortage of housing units needed to achieve a 1.5 jobs-to-housing ratio in each designated region. It apportions these gaps to specific counties and cities, creating an "affirmative obligation" for jurisdictions with gaps to expedite approvals of housing projects and prohibiting denials without specific justifications. The law directly affects all Maryland counties and cities, particularly those in six defined regions (like Baltimore and Washington suburbs), by mandating state-level gap calculations and altering local housing approval processes to address housing shortages near job centers.

Maddy summarySB 747 requires transportation network companies (like ride-hailing apps) to create and follow clear written policies for deactivating drivers. It mandates companies to provide specific notice and information to drivers before deactivation and establish an internal appeal process for drivers who are deactivated. This bill directly affects drivers (defined as "transportation network operators") and the companies that employ them, changing how deactivation decisions must be handled under Maryland law.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates January 13 as Korean American Day in Maryland. It requires the Governor to annually proclaim this day and urges educational and cultural organizations to observe it with appropriate programs and activities. The bill has no financial impact, creates no new regulations, and directly affects only the Governor's office and organizations invited to participate. It is a symbolic recognition measure with no substantive policy changes.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Joint Resolution (SJ 4) is a symbolic statement urging federal action on nuclear weapons, not a binding law. It asks Maryland's congressional delegation to cosponsor a federal resolution supporting the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and the "Back from the Brink" policy goals. The resolution specifically requests the U.S. President and Senate endorse the treaty, which bans nuclear weapons development and use. It does not change Maryland law or impose requirements, but formally joins over 75 localities and 7 states in calling for reduced nuclear risks.