Sen. Ben Kramer

Maddy summarySB 576, the Maryland Worker Freedom Act, prohibits employers from firing, disciplining, or refusing to hire employees or applicants who decline to attend or participate in mandatory employer-sponsored meetings about religious or political topics (like election views or religious practices). The law specifically protects workers who refuse to engage in such meetings where the employer shares its own opinions on these matters. Religious employers and voluntary meetings about these topics are exempt from the law. The bill takes effect on October 1, 2025, and directly affects most Maryland workers and job applicants in covered workplaces.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes new rules for commercial loans to small businesses in Maryland. It requires lenders to clearly disclose key terms like annual interest rates, fees, and repayment structures before a business accepts financing. The law applies to most business loans where funds aren't used for personal/family purposes (excluding banks, credit unions, and loans over $2.5 million). Small businesses receiving these loans will get standardized, transparent information about costs upfront.

Maddy summarySB 1041 allows charter counties in Maryland to set higher property tax rates than their charters normally permit, specifically to fund approved public safety budgets (like police and fire services). It requires county councils to vote by simple majority for this increase and mandates that all extra tax revenue from this specific purpose must be dedicated solely to public safety - no other services can be funded with it. The bill also requires counties to report annual details of these tax increases and additional revenues to the Governor and General Assembly by December 31. This directly affects charter counties (like Baltimore County or Montgomery County) that operate under their own charters rather than state law. The policy change streamlines how these counties can raise funds for public safety without altering their overall tax limits for other services.

Maddy summarySB 1018 requires transportation network companies (like Uber or Lyft) to provide passengers and drivers with a detailed digital receipt immediately after each ride. The receipt must show the passenger's total fare, the driver's earnings, and any additional fees charged. Additionally, companies must annually report to Maryland's Public Service Commission by February 1 - including the total number of drivers (categorized by full-time/part-time status and hours worked), median driver pay, and demographic data on drivers (including those deactivated). This bill directly affects ride-hailing companies operating in Maryland and aims to increase transparency for both drivers and passengers regarding payments and company operations.

Maddy summarySB 807 authorizes Maryland counties to adopt local building energy performance standards that are stricter than the state's requirements, provided the standards are approved by the Department of the Environment. If approved, counties can enforce these local standards - including setting alternative compliance pathways and fees - and exempt covered buildings under their rules from complying with statewide energy standards. The bill ensures local standards must match or exceed the state’s targets (20% emissions reduction by 2030, net-zero by 2040) or achieve greater aggregate reductions by 2040. It applies to commercial buildings, requiring owners to report emissions data annually and allowing counties to collect fees for noncompliance.

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 summarySB 916, the "Educate to Stop the Hate Act," requires Maryland public school districts to align their curriculum guides and courses of study with new state-developed content standards focused on addressing hate, prejudice, and discrimination. The law mandates that these standards include evidence-based instruction on the roots of racism, historical context of marginalized groups, and the dangers of silence toward oppression, with specific requirements for history/social studies frameworks. County school boards that fail to adopt these standards risk having state education funds withheld by the State Superintendent. The bill applies directly to public school systems across Maryland, aiming to integrate these educational requirements into core curriculum planning.

Maddy summarySB 753 requires new offshore wind projects and transmission projects in Maryland to install FAA-approved aircraft detection lighting systems on all wind turbines and associated infrastructure starting October 1, 2025. Existing projects built before that date must apply for FAA approval by December 1, 2025, and install the systems within three months of approval. The law defines the required system as a sensor-based technology that automatically activates obstruction lights when aircraft approach, then deactivates them after the aircraft leaves. This directly affects owners and operators of qualified offshore wind projects and transmission facilities in Maryland.

Maddy summarySB 806 bans the confinement of egg-laying hens in battery cages and similar systems (like colony or enriched cages) for commercial egg production in Maryland after a specified date. It requires farms to use cage-free housing systems that allow hens to roam freely, access perches and nest boxes, and exhibit natural behaviors. The law applies to all commercial egg producers and sellers, but exempts farms with fewer than 5,000 hens annually. This directly affects Maryland’s commercial egg farms and businesses selling shell eggs or egg products within the state.

Maddy summarySB 536 regulates research and testing facilities in Maryland that use dogs or cats, prohibiting them from conducting certain canine or feline toxicological experiments and using traditional animal test methods when scientifically valid alternatives exist. The bill requires facilities to reduce dog and cat use to the minimum necessary and adopt animals used in research (but not testing) after studies end. It defines "alternative test methods" as non-animal approaches with equivalent scientific quality, including computational models and lab-based studies. This directly affects Maryland facilities conducting research or testing involving dogs or cats, particularly in chemical, drug, or product safety evaluations.