Sen. Sara Love

Maddy summarySB 694 requires Maryland's Office of the Correctional Ombudsman to hire an independent consultant by October 1, 2026, to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the state's correctional system. The assessment must cover infrastructure (facilities, cell design, technology), staffing ratios and training, programming effectiveness, health services compared to national standards, and restrictive housing policies. It also mandates including stakeholder input (via interviews, surveys, and public hearings) and producing a report with cost-benefit analysis, comparisons to states like New York and New Jersey, and actionable recommendations with implementation timelines. This bill directly affects the Correctional Ombudsman's office, the state correctional system, and incarcerated individuals through the assessment process. The findings must be included in the Ombudsman's annual report to the Governor and General Assembly starting in 2027.

Maddy summarySB 943 requires petitioners in Maryland domestic violence cases to provide detailed information about respondents' firearms (e.g., make/model, storage locations, access points) when seeking protective orders. This affects both victims seeking protection and alleged abusers facing firearm surrender requirements. The bill also establishes a Task Force to study firearm use in domestic violence situations. These changes aim to improve safety planning by giving courts more specific details about firearm risks.

Maddy summarySB 827 limits the use of restrictive housing (like solitary confinement) for minors in Maryland juvenile facilities. It prohibits placing minors in restrictive housing solely for discipline, punishment, staff convenience, or retaliation. The bill requires facilities to justify such placement only when there’s an immediate safety risk, with no other alternatives, and mandates mental health screening within one hour. Minors can be placed in restrictive housing at their request (and can revoke this request), but such placement cannot exceed six hours, and facilities must develop a plan to return them to general population quickly. The bill directly affects all minors held in Maryland juvenile correctional facilities.

Maddy summarySB 949 establishes rules for operating fully autonomous vehicles (level 4 or 5 systems) on Maryland highways without a human driver. It requires these vehicles to achieve a "minimal risk condition" if the system fails, display manufacturer certification labels, and meet federal safety standards. Transportation companies using autonomous vehicles must submit law enforcement interaction plans (detailing communication, towing, and recognition protocols) and proof of security to the state administration. The bill directly affects manufacturers, ride-hailing services, and other ground transportation companies operating autonomous fleets in Maryland. It treats the automated driving system as the legal "operator" for compliance with vehicle laws and crash reporting.

Maddy summarySB 732 sets new limits on harmful chemicals (PFOS and PFOA) in sewage sludge applied to farmland in Maryland. Permits for land application must limit these chemicals to the lowest of three levels: 1 microgram per kilogram, the U.S. EPA’s health-based standard, or a level set by Maryland’s environmental agency. Permit holders must prove compliance through independent lab testing of the sludge within 14 days before application, unless sludge is transported directly to fields without storage. The Maryland Department of the Environment can also establish stricter limits or additional restrictions for other similar chemicals in future regulations.

Maddy summarySB 609 prohibits Maryland landlords from using algorithms that analyze competitors' rent prices to set or adjust residential rent. It specifically bans tools that rely on "nonpublic competitor data," such as actual rent amounts, occupancy rates, or lease dates from other landlords. The law applies only to new or renewed leases after October 1, 2025, and violations would be treated as unfair trade practices under Maryland’s consumer protection law. This directly affects residential landlords who currently use such technology to determine rent. The bill excludes aggregated market reports from trade associations and tools for affordable housing programs.

Maddy summarySB 549, the "Stop Silencing Survivors Act," creates legal immunity for individuals who in good faith disclose information about alleged sexually assaultive behavior. It protects such disclosures from liability, presuming good faith unless proven otherwise (e.g., with actual malice or reckless falsehoods), and requires courts to award attorney fees to successful defenders. The bill directly affects people making disclosures (e.g., employers, schools, or colleagues reporting allegations) and those facing lawsuits over such disclosures. It amends Maryland’s Courts and Judicial Proceedings code to establish these protections, focusing on concrete legal changes rather than outcomes.

Maddy summarySB 385 increases penalties for drivers who cause serious injury or death to specific vulnerable road users - such as pedestrians (including workers and emergency personnel), cyclists, motorcyclists, wheelchair users, and others on sidewalks or highways - when the driver was violating traffic laws. Convicted drivers face up to 2 months in jail, a $2,000 fine, or both, plus mandatory participation in a safety course and 150 hours of community service. The bill also requires drivers to appear in court (no prepayment of fines) and mandates a driver’s license suspension of 7 days to 6 months. It directly affects drivers convicted of such offenses, not the vulnerable individuals themselves. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 317 establishes Maryland's Food Forests and Foraging Program within the Department of Natural Resources. It requires individuals harvesting noncommercial plant materials (like berries or nuts) from designated state-owned food forests to obtain a permit, with an application fee that may be waived for those demonstrating financial need. The bill creates a dedicated "Food Forests and Foraging Fund" to support planting and maintaining these areas, funded by permit fees, state appropriations, and interest earnings. This program directly affects residents who forage in state-managed food forests, regulating access while funding the program's sustainability.

Maddy summaryThis Maryland law updates rules on how contraceptives are sold and allows registered nurses to provide certain nonprescription medications without a doctor's order. The bill removes criminal penalties for selling contraceptives through vending machines in schools and clarifies that only natural membrane condoms, not all nonlatex condoms, are banned from such machines. It also authorizes a committee to create a list of over-the-counter drugs and devices that registered nurses can dispense at local health departments. Additionally, the legislation defines key terms like "dispense" and "authorized prescriber" to guide how nurses handle these medications. These changes aim to improve access to reproductive health products and expand the role of nurses in public health settings.