Sen. Nick Charles

Maddy summarySB 681 amends Maryland law to expand the definition of "health care provider" in malpractice claims to include hospital employees, agents, or contractors who are licensed, certified, or authorized to provide health care services in Maryland. This change directly affects malpractice lawsuits involving these hospital staff members, making them subject to the same legal standards as traditional providers like doctors or nurses. The bill also clarifies that religious nursing institutions relying solely on prayer for treatment are excluded from the definition. The updated definition takes effect October 1, 2025, and applies specifically to claims under health care malpractice laws.

Maddy summarySB 542 requires Maryland's Governor's Office of Small, Minority, and Women Business Affairs to hire an independent consultant to study the state's alcoholic beverages industry, focusing on minority participation and barriers to entry. The study will collect confidential data from license holders (distributors and retailers) on business ownership demographics, brands carried, and industry structure, which must be shared only in anonymized or aggregated form. It will analyze participation rates by race and ethnicity, compare Maryland's system to other states, and identify potential discrimination in the industry. The consultant must submit a final report with recommendations by December 1, 2026, to help inform policies supporting minority-owned businesses in the sector.

Maddy summarySB 832 allows municipal corporations (like cities or towns) within Prince George’s County’s regional district to override zoning laws made by the Prince George’s County District Council. Specifically, it permits these local governments to override district council zoning rules affecting their own territory through a majority vote of their governing body. The bill amends Maryland’s land use laws to clarify that municipal corporations have this authority, replacing previous restrictions that limited their zoning powers. This change directly affects municipal corporations in the regional district, such as the City of Bowie or the Town of Kensington, by giving them more control over local zoning decisions. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.

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 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 520 authorizes Maryland’s State Highway Administration to install speed monitoring systems in designated "safety corridors" - areas prioritized in their Pedestrian Safety Action Plan for high risk to pedestrians and cyclists. The bill modifies existing law to clarify that penalties from citations issued via these systems (e.g., for speeding in safety corridors) must be paid directly to the State Highway Administration for uncontested cases, rather than to courts. It also specifies that recorded images from these systems are admissible as evidence in court without additional authentication. This directly affects drivers in designated safety corridors and changes how enforcement proceeds for these specific speed monitoring systems.

Maddy summarySB 518 requires Maryland health insurers, nonprofit health plans, and HMOs to cover ovarian cancer screenings - including MRI and CT scans - for individuals aged 45 and older with no out-of-pocket costs (no copays, coinsurance, or deductibles). The law applies to all health plans issued, delivered, or renewed in Maryland after January 1, 2026, with one exception: enrollees in high-deductible health plans may still need to meet their plan’s deductible for these screenings. This policy directly affects covered individuals and health plans operating in Maryland, ensuring preventive ovarian cancer screening is fully accessible without cost-sharing barriers.

Maddy summarySB 539 requires healthcare providers who prescribe medications for children in shared custody arrangements to issue two separate prescriptions. Each prescription must cover the medication amount proportional to the time each parent spends with the child under a court-approved custody or visitation schedule. Pharmacists must fill prescriptions only for the portion matching the parent’s scheduled time with the child. This law directly affects healthcare providers (doctors, pharmacists) and parents in shared custody cases in Maryland, taking effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis Maryland bill updates state procurement laws to allow the State Board of Contract Appeals to award reasonable legal fees to parties who win appeals or file claims. Specifically, it enables the board to grant attorney's fees to prospective bidders or contractors if the board finds that a procurement unit violated laws or regulations during a protest or contract dispute. Additionally, the law mandates fee awards for contractors when board members determine that government personnel acted in bad faith or without justification while processing a claim. These changes aim to provide clearer financial recourse for businesses challenging state contracting decisions while ensuring the board establishes rules to define what costs are considered reasonable.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Maryland's mental health laws to improve how individuals in crisis are evaluated and treated, specifically affecting peace officers, emergency facilities, and people with severe mental illness. It allows peace officers to transport individuals to nearby emergency facilities rather than strictly the nearest one and expands the ability to evaluate patients for involuntary admission to include psychiatric nurse practitioners. Additionally, the legislation mandates that every county establish an assisted outpatient treatment program, which can legally require individuals with severe mental illness to attend treatment to prevent homelessness and repeated hospitalizations. The law also ensures that public defenders provide legal representation during these assisted outpatient proceedings and permits electronic submission of evaluation petitions.