Sen. Ron Watson

Maddy summarySB 709 creates Maryland's Purple Star Colleges Program to recognize institutions of higher education that provide strong support for military-connected students. The bill updates the definition of "military-connected student" to include service members, veterans, and their spouses/dependents, and establishes specific requirements for colleges seeking designation. To qualify, colleges must designate a uniformed services liaison, maintain a dedicated webpage with transition resources, offer student-led transition programs, and provide staff training on military-connected student needs. Administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission, this program complements the existing Purple Star Schools Program and directly affects colleges and military-connected students statewide.

Maddy summarySB 507 requires Maryland public school systems to identify accessibility barriers for students with disabilities during routine safety evaluations and emergency planning. It specifically mandates annual reports detailing any instances where school facilities became inaccessible for disabled students in ways that could hinder evacuation or emergency response during incidents. These reports must remain confidential, exempt from public disclosure under Maryland's public information law, with limited exceptions for legislative requests. The bill directly affects all local school systems in Maryland, aiming to improve emergency preparedness for students with disabilities through concrete reporting requirements.

Maddy summarySB 597 establishes the Maryland Artificial Intelligence Partnership within the University System of Maryland to serve as a central hub for coordinating AI initiatives across the state. It creates an Artificial Intelligence Incubation Lab to help state agencies adopt AI responsibly, and redesignates the Cybersecurity Public Service Scholarship Program as the Emerging Technology Public Service Scholarship Program to include AI training. The bill also requires Morgan State University's Center for Equitable AI to support state agencies with AI research. These changes directly affect Maryland public university students (through expanded scholarship eligibility), state agencies (via lab support), and the University System of Maryland (as host for the Partnership and Lab).

Maddy summarySB 760 repeals a requirement that deeds and property instruments must include specific margins (3-inch top, 1-inch sides) when recorded. It also updates procedures for county clerks, requiring them to date corrections directly on the land record index line instead of using separate notations. These changes apply to all real property documents recorded in Maryland counties, affecting property recorders and document preparers who submit deeds, mortgages, or other instruments. The bill modernizes land record procedures by removing outdated formatting rules and clarifying correction documentation.

Maddy summarySB 720, the "Artificial Intelligence Ready Schools Act," requires Maryland’s State Department of Education to create and maintain online guidance for schools, educators, parents, and students on the safe, ethical, and equitable use of AI in K-12 education. It mandates county school boards to adopt AI policies within 120 days of guidance release, designate AI coordinators, and procure AI tools aligned with state standards. The bill also requires Morgan State University to annually certify AI tools and establishes statewide teacher training in AI literacy by July 2027, with compensation for educators participating. Local school systems must integrate AI into workforce preparation standards by June 2027, coordinated with the Maryland Center for Computing Education. The law directly affects all Maryland public schools, educators, students, and technology vendors supplying educational AI tools.

Maddy summarySB 927 creates a special permit process for the Kappa Alpha Psi 2027 Conclave in Baltimore City, requiring event promoters to apply 30 days in advance to the Board of License Commissioners. It mandates written consent from Visit Baltimore, a special event permit from Baltimore City Transportation, and a $50 application fee plus a $500-$1,500 permit fee based on venue capacity. Caterers must obtain a separate Class C per diem license before participating. The law expires December 31, 2027, and applies solely to this specific event, not general public gatherings.

Maddy summarySB 168 establishes a two-year pilot program (2027-2028) in Maryland's State Department of Assessments and Taxation to test blockchain technology for recording real property ownership. The program allows property owners in up to three selected counties to opt into having their titles represented as secure digital tokens on a blockchain registry. This system would enable law enforcement and courts to verify ownership in real time, particularly for disputes involving squatting. The pilot requires creating a secure registry, testing smart contracts for title transfers, and reporting results to the legislature by 2029. It does not mandate statewide adoption but aims to assess blockchain's potential for improving property record security and dispute resolution.

Maddy summarySB 242, the Modernizing Civil Relief for Service Members Act, allows active-duty service members and their spouses to practice in Maryland under an occupational or professional license issued by another state, without needing to meet all of Maryland’s usual licensing requirements. It also expands eligibility for veterans’ licensing benefits to include former service members who were discharged more than a certain period before applying for a license. The bill creates new provisions (Subtitle 14A) in Maryland law to streamline this process and updates definitions to clarify who qualifies under these rules. These changes directly affect military personnel, their families, and veterans seeking to work in licensed professions across Maryland.

Maddy summarySB 323 (Youth Charging Reform Act) removes restrictions that previously prevented Maryland juvenile courts from handling cases involving youth aged 16 and older accused of serious crimes. It repeals provisions that excluded such cases for offenses like murder, robbery, gun crimes, and aggravated violence, expanding juvenile court jurisdiction to include these charges. Now, youth 16+ facing these specific allegations will be processed in juvenile court instead of being automatically sent to adult court. This change affects juvenile courts, prosecutors, and youth aged 16+ charged with the listed offenses under Maryland law.

Maddy summarySB 101 adds correctional officers to Maryland's existing loan repayment and scholarship programs for public safety workers. It expands the Maryland Loan Assistance Repayment Program (Subtitle 37) to allow correctional officers who work in state facilities for at least two years to get help repaying higher education loans. It also creates a new scholarship program (Subtitle 38) for students or current correctional officers pursuing relevant degrees, requiring a five-year service commitment after graduation. The bill directly affects correctional officers statewide by providing financial support for education and career advancement. The changes take effect July 1, 2026.