Sen. Jeff Waldstreicher

Maddy summarySB 315 clarifies that individuals with expunged criminal charges cannot be denied employment, education, or government services solely because they refuse to disclose those expunged charges. The bill specifically prohibits the Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) system from referencing certain cannabis possession cases (where it was the only charge and disposed before July 1, 2023) and requires the Department of Public Safety to remove all references to these cases from MDEC by July 1, 2024. It also prohibits employers, educational institutions, and state agencies from using expunged cannabis charges as the sole basis for adverse actions. The law applies directly to people with expunged cannabis cases meeting the specified criteria. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 278 establishes new standard processing fees for business documents filed with Maryland's State Department of Assessments and Taxation. It increases fees for key filings, such as $100 for Articles of Incorporation (up from $25) and $300 for annual reports for most corporations. The bill also requires the Department to process certain documents within specified timeframes. It directly affects businesses filing corporate formations, name reservations, annual reports, and other routine documents in Maryland. The changes apply to standard processing, not expedited services as the title suggests.

Maddy summarySB 155 would allow bicyclists, play vehicle operators, and unicyclists to enter an intersection on a red traffic signal to cross the road when a pedestrian "walk" signal is active for their direction. This applies only after yielding to vehicles and pedestrians already in the intersection. The bill also clarifies that these operators have pedestrian-like rights while in crosswalks or on sidewalks, requiring them to yield to pedestrians and mobility device users. The law would take effect October 1, 2026, if passed. Currently, the bill is pre-filed and awaiting legislative review.

Maddy summarySB 171 proposes to update Maryland's mail theft laws by adding new prohibitions against stealing mail or packages under specific circumstances and banning possession of "arrow keys" in certain contexts. The bill creates two new sections (3-905 and 3-905.1) in the Criminal Law Article, explicitly making mail theft a criminal offense and clarifying jurisdiction for prosecuting such cases. It also revises court jurisdiction rules to ensure District Courts can handle mail theft violations, adding them to the list of cases under the court's authority. This legislation directly affects individuals who steal mail or packages, as well as law enforcement and courts handling these offenses. The bill is currently in the pre-filed stage, with no votes recorded yet.

Maddy summarySB 669 modifies Maryland's Rape Kit Testing Grant Fund to prioritize testing untested sexual assault evidence kits collected before October 1, 2020. The fund will now specifically provide resources for law enforcement agencies to test these backlog kits, fund the Attorney General's office to assist investigations, and support a statewide victim notification hotline operated by the Sexual Assault Coalition. Key provisions require the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy to distribute annual funding until all pre-2020 kits are processed, with minimum funding levels unless federal grants cover the same purpose. The bill prohibits using the fund for the existing Sexual Assault Evidence Kit Tracking System. This directly affects victims of past sexual assaults, law enforcement agencies, and state offices handling sexual assault cases.

Maddy summarySB 356 repeals Maryland's criminal law (Section 18-601.1 of the Annotated Code) that previously prohibited individuals with HIV from knowingly transferring the virus to others, making such acts a misdemeanor punishable by up to 3 years in prison or a $2,500 fine. The bill directly affects people living with HIV who could have faced criminal charges under this provision. It removes the criminal penalty for knowingly transmitting HIV, shifting focus from criminalization to public health approaches. The repeal takes effect October 1, 2025, and does not alter other HIV-related public health or medical regulations.

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 533 establishes a one-year-and-one-day deadline for Maryland law enforcement agencies to file administrative charges related to police misconduct complaints, starting from when the agency becomes aware of the incident. This applies to most cases, including those not requiring an administrative committee review, and ensures timely action on complaints from the public. For incidents tied to ongoing criminal investigations, the deadline extends until the criminal case concludes or the prosecutor declines charges. The bill aims to prevent indefinite delays in holding officers accountable while aligning administrative processes with criminal proceedings.

Maddy summarySB 160 requires specific disclosures in residential property sales involving "wholesale buyers" (who assign contracts for a fee) and "wholesale sellers" (who assign without holding title). It mandates that wholesale buyers disclose potential assignments to sellers and wholesale sellers disclose their equitable interest to buyers in writing. Buyers or sellers can rescind a contract without penalty before closing if required disclosures are missing, and buyers who rescind this way are entitled to a full deposit refund. The law applies only to properties with four or fewer single-family units (owner-occupied) and takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 513 modifies notice requirements for counties and municipalities seeking to record changes to unlawfully restrictive covenants on property. These covenants are recorded restrictions that limit property ownership based on race, religion, or national origin. The bill requires government entities to provide written notice to property owners via first-class mail, newspaper publication for four weeks, courthouse posting, or official website posting at least 30 days before recording a modification. Property owners with an interest in the property can decline the change by notifying the county or municipality within 30 days of receiving the notice.