Sen. Ron Watson

Maddy summarySB 989 creates a "Sheriff's Property Registry" system in Maryland for residential properties, allowing owners to enroll their property to request sheriff removal of unauthorized occupants. Property owners must pay a fee for initial enrollment (and annual renewal), and sheriffs must post notices on enrolled properties detailing the removal process. Owners can request immediate removal by submitting a sworn statement verifying specific conditions, such as the occupant not being a tenant, family member, or recorded owner, and that the occupant was directed to leave. This system provides a structured process for property owners to address unauthorized occupants while requiring sheriffs to verify requests before removal.

Maddy summarySB 634 redefines "hunt" to include fox chasing, creates a Deer Management Assistance Program in the Department of Natural Resources (requiring an additional full-time employee by July 2026), and mandates a phased transition to nonlead ammunition for all game hunting. It sets specific deadlines: nonlead ammunition required for pen-raised birds by 2026, upland birds by 2027, migratory birds and turkeys by 2028, and all other game (including deer) by 2029. Unarmed fox chasers are exempt from certain licensing rules but must still hold a standard hunting license. The bill directly affects hunters, landowners participating in deer management, and wildlife agencies managing hunting regulations.

Maddy summarySB 650 requires individuals convicted three or more times of a "domestically related crime" (including domestic violence offenses or crimes against someone with whom they had a recent sexual relationship) to register with their county sheriff within 10 days of release, probation, or a suspended sentence. The registry, maintained by Maryland’s Department of Public Safety, will include registrants’ names, addresses, crime details, and photos, and remain public online, by phone, and in person. Registration lasts 15 years from the latest conviction or release date, extending by 20 years per additional conviction. Individuals may seek court exemptions if convictions are overturned, pardoned, or if a circuit court grants relief under Section 11-1207. This bill directly affects repeat domestic violence offenders, not new offenses or general public safety measures.

Maddy summarySB 426, the Procurement Reform Act of 2025, reorganizes Maryland's state procurement system by giving the Chief Procurement Officer more authority to delegate tasks and manage contracts. It modifies thresholds for public notices, reports, and small business preferences, and requires contractors over a certain value to submit workforce diversity plans. The bill establishes a new preference for businesses with "good labor practices," transfers the Employment Works Program to a new office, and clarifies rules for expedited contracts and apprenticeship requirements. These changes directly affect state agencies, contractors, and small businesses participating in Maryland procurement.

Maddy summarySB 530 expands the statewide application of speed monitoring systems in residential districts by revising Maryland’s vehicle laws. It requires all speed limit signs on highways within residential districts (defined as areas adjacent to residences for at least 300 feet) to display clear signage indicating speed monitoring systems are active. The bill also mandates public notice of system locations, real-time speed displays at certain sites, and ensures signage complies with state traffic control standards. Existing permitted locations (like Indian Head Highway, I-83, and specific school zones) remain unchanged under this statewide rule. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 551 prohibits Maryland insurers from raising premiums, adding surcharges, or removing discounts for private passenger auto insurance policies after collisions with free-roaming wild animals when the driver was not at fault. It directly affects car insurance policyholders in Maryland who experience such non-fault accidents. The key provision amends insurance law to block insurers from treating these incidents differently than other non-fault claims. This ensures drivers cannot be penalized financially for unavoidable encounters with wildlife like deer or coyotes. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis Maryland bill (SB 368, the "Maryland Phone-Free Schools Act") requires county school boards to create policies limiting student cell phone use during class hours (excluding lunch). The policy must prohibit phones during class, mandate secure storage, and ban social media apps - while allowing exceptions for students with IEPs/504 plans, health monitoring, emergencies, or educational use directed by staff. First-time violations would result in a warning, enforced by administrators. County boards must implement these policies by the 2026-2027 school year.

Maddy summarySB 353 establishes a 13-member workgroup to study food deserts in Maryland - areas with limited access to affordable, healthy food - and develop recommendations to address them. The workgroup includes appointed state agency secretaries (Aging, Agriculture, Health, etc.), local government representatives, and community stakeholders, who must analyze food deserts' health, economic, and environmental impacts by November 1, 2025. It requires the group to submit a report with findings and solutions to the Governor and relevant legislative committees, with the bill expiring automatically on June 30, 2026. The workgroup itself has no authority to enact policy, only to study and recommend.

Maddy summaryThis bill reclassifies theft of firearms as a felony in Maryland, making it punishable under existing felony theft penalties regardless of the firearm's value. It directly affects individuals who steal firearms by subjecting them to felony charges instead of potential misdemeanor charges under current law. The key mechanism is amending Maryland's theft statute (Section 7-104) to explicitly include firearms in the felony classification, removing a prior exemption that allowed firearm theft to be treated as a misdemeanor if the value was below $1,500.

Maddy summarySB 340 authorizes Maryland’s State Lottery and Gaming Control Commission to issue licenses for regulated internet gaming operations, directly affecting gaming companies, former video lottery facility employees (who gain access to a new Displacement Fund), and local school budgets. Key provisions include requiring licensees to verify participant registration, mandating that local governments subtract internet gaming revenue from education funding calculations starting in 2027, and instead appropriate those funds directly to schools. The bill also creates a permanent fund for displaced video lottery workers and requires the Governor to seek voter approval via referendum before implementing multijurisdictional gaming agreements. This legislation shifts education funding sources while establishing new regulatory and financial mechanisms for online gaming.