Sen. Craig Zucker

Maddy summarySB 386 (Lower Bills and Local Power Act of 2026) requires electric companies operating high-voltage transmission lines (over 69,000 volts) in Maryland to join a regional transmission organization. It mandates that applicants seeking permits for new transmission lines must include alternative proposals using advanced transmission technologies and compare their cost-effectiveness. The bill creates a new Solar and Energy Storage Market Stabilization Program within the Maryland Energy Administration and directs funds from the Strategic Energy Investment Fund to provide refunds or credits to residential customers. These changes aim to modernize transmission infrastructure, promote technology adoption, and reduce costs for Maryland ratepayers.

Maddy summarySB 605 establishes a formal appeal process for businesses subject to Maryland's digital advertising gross revenues tax when they receive a tax assessment notice from the Comptroller. The bill requires the Comptroller to provide a 30-day window for taxpayers to request a revision of an assessment or claim a refund, and mandates an informal hearing before a final determination is issued. It also authorizes the Comptroller or their designee to issue orders correcting erroneous assessments without further appeal, with the order stating the reasons for the correction. This applies specifically to assessments issued after December 31, 2025, directly affecting digital advertising businesses that pay this tax.

Maddy summarySB 765 modifies Maryland's child placement rules to allow out-of-home care providers (like foster homes or group facilities) to temporarily exceed standard child-to-provider ratios for youth enrolled in accredited higher education or vocational programs. Specifically, it exempts these youth from placement limits when they cannot remain on campus due to breaks, closures, or temporary leaves, provided the child, provider, and agency mutually agree to the arrangement. This policy change directly affects foster care providers, youth in care attending college/vocational training, and the Department of Human Services, which must adopt regulations implementing this exemption. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 764 designates chromite as Maryland's official state mineral, recognizing its historical significance in the state's mining heritage. The bill adds "Chromite is the State Mineral" to Maryland's legal code, referencing its discovery in Baltimore County in 1808, its role in early chromium production (including Isaac Tyson, Jr.'s contributions), and its presence in multiple Maryland counties. This symbolic designation has no practical policy impact - it does not change regulations, funding, or responsibilities. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 707 repeals a two-year time limit on medical exemptions for vehicles with tinted windows that do not meet Maryland’s standard 35% light transmittance requirement. Currently, individuals with medical conditions requiring darker tint (e.g., for light sensitivity or skin conditions) must renew their exemption annually or biennially. The bill removes this expiration, allowing physician-certified exemptions to remain valid as long as the medical need persists. This directly affects Maryland residents who rely on medical exemptions for window tinting, simplifying compliance without altering the 35% transmittance standard or certification requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill renames Maryland's Chesapeake Conservation Corps Program to honor former Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. It updates the program's official name throughout state law to "Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps Program" without changing the program's structure, funding, or operations. The renaming applies to all references in Maryland's Natural Resources and State Government codes, including funding provisions and program administration details. The program - administered by the Chesapeake Bay Trust and focused on environmental conservation projects - remains unchanged in its purpose and implementation.

Maddy summarySB 911 increases Maryland's property tax exemption for blind individuals and their surviving spouses from $15,000 to $40,000 on their primary residence. The bill defines a "blind individual" as someone with a permanent visual impairment meeting specific medical criteria and clarifies that the exemption applies to the assessed value of a dwelling house (including the lot and necessary structures). Surviving spouses who haven't remarried become eligible for the exemption after the blind individual's death. The bill also specifies that individuals cannot claim both this exemption and another specific property tax exemption, though they may use it alongside other available exemptions.

Maddy summarySB 278 expands Maryland's definition of "uniformed services" to include members of the Public Health Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), previously limited to only the armed forces. This change updates how "veteran" status is defined in state law, ensuring these service members qualify for state benefits. The bill requires Maryland's tax and pension programs to apply equally to all uniformed services, eliminating prior exclusions for non-military personnel. It directly affects service members in the Public Health Service and NOAA, granting them parity in state tax relief, pensions, and other benefits.

Maddy summarySB 603 authorizes an annual $350,000 appropriation starting in fiscal year 2027 for the University of Maryland, College Park’s TerpsEXCEED Program. This program provides educational and employment support specifically to students with intellectual disabilities. The funding covers direct services like academic advising, career development courses, internship coordination, and connections to disability support agencies. It aims to create sustainable support for the program’s operations and future expansion. The bill becomes effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 774 modifies Maryland's property tax valuation rules for rural broadband service providers. It requires the State Department of Assessments and Taxation to use only actual operating income (not projected earnings) when valuing their property under the income approach, and to reduce property value by any government subsidies or tax credits received under the replacement cost approach. This change directly affects rural broadband companies by potentially lowering their property tax burden. The bill ensures these providers are taxed based on real operational income and government benefits received, rather than full market value.