Sen. Brian Feldman

Maddy summarySB 624 requires short-term rental hosts (e.g., Airbnb hosts) offering units for less than 30 consecutive days to post evacuation diagrams, emergency contact numbers, provide working fire extinguishers, and install interconnected smoke alarms that meet specific sound and placement standards. Hosts must replace smoke alarms if they malfunction, exceed 10 years of age, or lack a production date. Booking platforms (like Airbnb) must notify hosts about these requirements and collect documentation confirming compliance. Local jurisdictions must enforce inspections and report data to the State Fire Marshal, aiming to improve fire safety for guests in temporary rentals.

Maddy summarySB 7 repeals the expiration date for the Douglas J. J. Peters Veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq Conflicts Scholarship, removing the June 30, 2030 cutoff that previously prevented new awards after that date. This change allows the scholarship to be awarded indefinitely to eligible veterans, active service members, or their dependents who meet Maryland residency and educational requirements. The bill also removes restrictions on renewing scholarships for recipients who received their initial award before 2030. The scholarship covers up to 50% of tuition, fees, and room/board at Maryland public universities, requiring a 2.5 GPA and 5 years of full-time study. It takes effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 841 changes how Maryland uses fees paid by utilities to fund renewable energy projects. Instead of direct grants, it requires the Maryland Energy Administration to run annual competitive auctions where developers bid to build renewable energy projects. The bill sets specific targets for project capacity, deadlines for completion, and eligibility rules for bidders, including prioritizing projects benefiting low-income or overburdened communities. It redirects existing compliance fees - previously used for solar grants - into this auction system to accelerate renewable energy development.

Maddy summarySB 632 creates a new Office of State Elected Officials Information Privacy within Maryland’s Department of Legislative Services. It allows state elected officials (the "protected individuals") to request that their personal details - such as addresses, phone numbers, and email - be removed from public online sources like government websites, social media, or social networks. The bill also establishes criminal penalties for intentionally posting an official’s personal information online under certain circumstances. This replaces the existing Address Confidentiality Program for domestic violence survivors with a dedicated system specifically for protecting state elected officials’ privacy.

Maddy summarySB 697 establishes rules for social media platforms and foreign nationals influencing Maryland elections. It creates a rebuttable presumption that a platform making a deliberate algorithm change to amplify political content for a specific candidate is treating it as an independent expenditure (like a campaign donation), requiring them to file reports. The bill also prohibits foreign nationals from purchasing bots to artificially boost political content or campaign materials on online platforms. Platforms failing to report such expenditures face fines up to 300% of the unreported amount. The law applies only to candidates for Maryland state or local offices.

Maddy summaryMaryland's SB 962 prohibits individuals convicted of crimes related to the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack from holding specific government positions. The bill applies to those convicted regardless of subsequent pardons and bars them from serving on state boards/commissions, in executive government roles, or in special appointments. Appointing authorities must immediately remove anyone violating this law. It does not apply to standing committees or committees established under Title 2 of state law. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 842 changes how Maryland's Public Service Commission manages its staff by requiring it to create its own personnel system separate from state rules. It allows the Commission to hire independent contractors for expertise, mandates annual financial reports to the Budget Department, and alters compensation rules for employees. This directly affects Commission staff by changing their retirement credit eligibility, salary determination processes, and employment classification as permanent state employees. The bill also exempts the Commission from certain state procurement laws and tax rules applicable to other agencies.

Maddy summarySB 966 requires Maryland's Public Service Commission to develop a successor program for net energy metering (NEM) when the current program reaches 3,000 megawatts of combined customer-generator capacity. The new program must incentivize distributed renewable energy (like rooftop solar), minimize long-term costs for all ratepayers, and balance fair compensation for energy exported to the grid with grid benefits and energy equity concerns. The Commission must complete this program development by December 2026, including stakeholder input, and submit a report to the legislature. The successor program will operate until total NEM capacity (current + successor) reaches 6,000 megawatts. This directly affects residential and commercial solar/wind system owners (eligible customer-generators) and electric utilities.

Maddy summarySB 992 requires large commercial and industrial electricity customers (defined as those with at least 25 megawatts of monthly demand) to register with Maryland's Public Service Commission before connecting to the power grid. The registration process mandates disclosure of interconnection plans, backup power details, water usage, and financial commitments for infrastructure development. The bill also directs the Commission to establish a Demand Response Program, allowing large customers to reduce usage during peak times to support grid stability. Additionally, it updates tax exemption rules for qualifying data centers under specific circumstances.

Maddy summarySB 843 establishes the SUNRISE Program as the replacement for Maryland’s net energy metering system, directly affecting low- and moderate-income households and community solar subscribers. It requires electric companies to implement the SUNRISE Program through specific tariffs, create a statewide capacity reservation system for solar projects, and guarantee electric bill savings for eligible households. The bill also mandates that community solar programs must meet specific low-income participation requirements and allows certain customers to opt out of enrollment. Administered by the Office of Home Energy Programs or local agencies, the law updates reporting requirements and ensures dedicated capacity blocks for qualifying households.