Sen. Nick Charles

Maddy summarySB 68 requires Maryland's Motor Vehicle Administration to add at least five motorcycle safety questions to the driver skills exam for all new or upgraded driver's licenses. These questions will cover specific topics like motorcycle visibility, proper lane positioning, safe following distances, and crash prevention around motorcycles. The bill directly affects every driver's license applicant in Maryland who takes the skills exam, including those seeking motorcycle licenses. It becomes effective on October 1, 2026, without altering existing vision or road test requirements.

Maddy summarySB 360 modifies Maryland's criminal law to specifically protect emergency response animals used by law enforcement. It prohibits intentionally harassing, interfering with, injuring, or killing these animals - such as police dogs, law enforcement horses, or search/rescue dogs - while they are performing official duties. Violations are classified as misdemeanors with penalties including fines up to $15,000 or imprisonment for up to 5 years, depending on the severity. The law directly affects individuals who target these animals during operations and law enforcement agencies that rely on them. It does not change general animal cruelty laws but adds targeted protections for animals serving in emergency response roles.

Maddy summarySB 388, the DECADE Act, reorganizes Maryland's economic development programs to streamline administration and adjust eligibility for tax incentives. It redesignates the Economic Development Opportunities Program Account as the Strategic Closing Fund within the Department of Commerce, alters how video lottery proceeds are distributed, and modifies rules for several tax credits - including Job Creation, Research and Development, and film production credits - to expand access for businesses and investors. Key changes include allowing pass-through entities to allocate biotechnology tax credits differently, enabling film producers to amend credit applications, and extending the Build Our Future Grant Pilot Program. The bill directly affects businesses seeking economic development tax credits and state agencies managing these programs.

Maddy summarySB 475 (the PACE Act) protects artists' creative works - like music, dance, visual art, poetry, and film - from being used as evidence against them in criminal or juvenile court. It prohibits such "creative expression" from being admitted unless a court finds by a preponderance of evidence that: (1) the artist intended it literally (not figuratively), (2) it directly references the specific crime facts, and (3) it’s relevant to a disputed fact. The bill explicitly excludes juvenile cases where creative expression is used to evaluate mental health or diversion programs. It applies directly to defendants and juvenile respondents whose artistic work might otherwise be introduced against them. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 7 repeals the expiration date for the Douglas J. J. Peters Veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq Conflicts Scholarship, removing the June 30, 2030 cutoff that previously prevented new awards after that date. This change allows the scholarship to be awarded indefinitely to eligible veterans, active service members, or their dependents who meet Maryland residency and educational requirements. The bill also removes restrictions on renewing scholarships for recipients who received their initial award before 2030. The scholarship covers up to 50% of tuition, fees, and room/board at Maryland public universities, requiring a 2.5 GPA and 5 years of full-time study. It takes effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 552 establishes the Suitland Development Authority in Prince George's County to revitalize the Suitland Road and Silver Hill Road corridor, directly affecting residents and businesses in that specific neighborhood area. The authority must coordinate with local residents to develop a neighborhood revitalization plan, can adjust boundaries with a vote, and receives tax exemptions for its operations. It requires the Authority to manage finances responsibly and become self-sustaining by 2036, aiming to boost housing, commerce, and property tax revenue through economic development. The bill creates a dedicated government agency focused on improving conditions in a historically underdeveloped corridor, with no direct impact beyond the defined target area.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurers and health plans in Maryland to cover salpingectomy (surgery to remove fallopian tubes) specifically for ovarian cancer prevention as a standard benefit, with no out-of-pocket costs like copays or deductibles for patients. It applies to all health insurance policies issued in Maryland after January 1, 2027, directly affecting women who might choose this preventive surgery and the insurers providing coverage. The key provision bans cost-sharing for this procedure, except when an individual is enrolled in a high-deductible health plan meeting federal criteria. This ensures access to a proven preventive measure without financial barriers for most patients.

Maddy summarySB 965 requires local governments operating automated traffic enforcement systems (like speed cameras or red-light cameras) to submit quarterly reports to Maryland’s Vision Zero coordinator about citations issued to vehicles registered in other states. The reports must include the out-of-state license plate number, whether the ticket was paid, and whether it remains overdue. Local governments must track these citations cumulatively over time, showing total issued, paid, and overdue tickets. This bill creates a data collection system for out-of-state traffic citations but does not change traffic enforcement rules or penalties.

Maddy summarySB 353 delays residential foreclosure actions by requiring lenders to wait 90 days after a loan default or 45 days after sending a foreclosure notice before filing a lawsuit. It applies to single-family homes occupied by owners as their primary residence. Exceptions allow immediate foreclosure for fraud, no payments ever made, destroyed property, bankruptcy cases, or vacant abandoned properties. Lenders must now include loss mitigation affidavits and specific documentation with foreclosure filings.

Maddy summarySB 389, the Maryland Transit and Housing Opportunity Act, automatically designates transit-oriented development (TOD) areas near rail stations with hourly weekday service (8 a.m.-6 p.m.) as enterprise zones - bypassing normal limits on such designations. It requires Maryland’s development corporation to prioritize loans for projects redeveloping state-owned land near rail stations and delays development taxes/fees for qualifying residential projects. The bill also adds project labor agreements as a scoring factor for TOD funding and adjusts local land-use regulations to support transit-focused development. Directly affecting developers, local governments, and communities near transit hubs, it aims to accelerate housing and infrastructure near rail corridors.