Sen. Paul Corderman

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 597 expands Maryland's Graduate and Professional Scholarship Program to include The Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine as an eligible institution. This change allows students enrolled at The Meritus School to apply for the scholarship, which provides financial aid for graduate studies in fields like medicine, law, nursing, and pharmacy. The bill does not alter existing requirements (such as Maryland residency, financial need, or scholarship amounts of $1,000-$5,000 per year) but adds The Meritus School to the official list of qualifying institutions. The change takes effect July 1, 2025, and directly affects students at The Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine.

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 318 expands eligibility for Maryland's Janet L. Hoffman Loan Assistance Repayment Program to include veterinary practitioners and veterinary technicians. It adds two new pathways: (1) working as a state-employed veterinarian for at least 5 years, or (2) volunteering at qualifying animal shelters for 100+ hours yearly over 3 years (shelters owned by local governments, contracted animal control providers, or spay/neuter grant recipients). The bill directly affects graduates of accredited veterinary schools who provide services in these specific roles. This change modifies existing program criteria under Maryland Code, Education Article § 18-1502, without creating new funding.

Maddy summarySB 861 revises the composition of Maryland's Western Maryland Economic Future Investment Board, removing redundant voting members and adding the Executive Director as a nonvoting member (with tie-breaking authority). It updates the Senator George C. Edwards Fund's purpose to explicitly prioritize "jobs and significant economic development opportunities" in Western Maryland. The bill extends the requirement for the Governor to include a $10 million annual appropriation for the Fund in the state budget through fiscal year 2031 (previously ending in 2026). These changes directly affect Western Maryland counties, local entities, and businesses applying for grants or loans from the Fund to support capital infrastructure and business development projects.

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 502 expands Maryland's existing property tax credit program to include judicial officers, their surviving spouses, and cohabitants - previously, the credit only covered law enforcement officers and rescue workers. The bill modifies the law to define "public safety officer" to include judicial officers and requires counties or municipalities to establish by law who qualifies as a judicial officer. It allows disabled judicial officers, their surviving spouses (if unmarried), and cohabitants to claim the credit against property taxes on their primary residence, with specific residency and disability criteria. The credit applies retroactively to qualifying individuals who met the requirements before the bill's enactment.

Maddy summarySB 84 requires Maryland's Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to study where people lived before entering state prison and where they are released after incarceration. The study must collect data on pre-incarceration residence counties, release locations, transfer details during incarceration, and compare release locations to pre-incarceration, conviction, and incarceration counties. The department must report findings annually to four legislative committees starting October 1, 2026. This bill directly affects the department's data collection processes for individuals in the state prison system.

Maddy summarySB 698 exempts sales and use tax on construction materials and warehousing equipment purchased for use in Washington County's Mount Aetna Technology Park redevelopment area. This directly affects businesses buying such materials or equipment for projects within the defined zone (accessible from Robinwood Drive, Mount Aetna Road, and Yale Drive, in an office/research/industry zoning district). To qualify, buyers must provide the Comptroller with eligibility evidence before purchase. The exemption takes effect July 1, 2025, and expires June 30, 2035, without further legislative action.

Maddy summarySB 860 prohibits the operation, promotion, or support of online sweepstakes games in Maryland that simulate casino games, lotteries, or sports betting where players can exchange points for cash or prizes. It directly affects game operators, payment processors, and affiliates who facilitate these games. The bill requires license applicants and holders to disclose if they accepted revenue from jurisdictions where interactive gaming is banned, and authorizes the State Lottery Commission to deny, suspend, or revoke licenses for violations. Violators face fines up to $100,000 or up to 3 years in jail, with license consequences for non-compliance. The law aims to block revenue from illegal gaming markets by restricting licensing for entities connected to prohibited jurisdictions.